


Death Note Novella: The Case of Jasper Yuta

by TowerofBabel



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Gen, Jasper Yuta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-04 08:04:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17300897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TowerofBabel/pseuds/TowerofBabel
Summary: When  a dream triggers a horrific memory from Light's past, his father reveals that Light was once kidnapped and almost killed by a serial killer--incentive to Light's yearning want to punish criminals with the Death Note. When the son of this killer comes after him for revenge years later, Light has to deal with this threat with L at his side. Story takes place back when Light has joined the Kira Task Force and has lost his memory of being Kira. But regains them...





	1. Revealing A Horrific Past

It was extraordinary, and yet it didn't feel like a dream. It felt more like he was looking through someone else's eyes with stunning visuals, like a CGI rendering more than real life. And for a split moment, he wondered if he was indeed playing a simulator game. He had played them before and to anyone who played them, they disconnected the user from reality.

It was so vivid and realistic that moment by moment, he had to reaffirm that what he was experiencing was a dream.

_Where Am I?_

As he walked through this place, dark and spooky as it was, wall to wall hanging chains with meat hooks that looked like it was some sort of slaughter house, he pushed them aside as he walked, and headed gingerly towards a slit of light in the distance that shone between a set of double doors. He stopped a couple of times when he felt he was stepping on something slippery, gummy and wet, and his shoes ever so often felt like they sloshed in water or something else underfoot. But it was so dark, he couldn't see what he was walking in.

He heard something heavy slam down on a metallic table and then the sound of a heavy clever coming down and cutting into meat and bone. He was too small to see through the foggy windows that were up higher in the doors, (he only reached four feet tall and was ten years old), so he put his ear to the doors and listened.

His father said he hadn't had a growth spurt in some time, and he had asked why he wasn't getting any taller like his friends, but his father assured him one would be coming soon if the genetics of his family had anything to say about it. Every male member of the Yagami family was tall in statue, minus those who married into the family.

Someone was speaking, but he could only hear a muffled voice through the thick doors, so he swung one open. He probably knew he shouldn't be here, but he didn't think he had anything to fear—this was only an animal slaughter house, so if he got caught, he'd be told to leave. Oddly enough, he couldn't remember how he got here in the first place. It was a complete blank.

The minute he ventured in, and peaked around the door, he saw a very large man, his back slightly turned, wearing a white butcher's apron, cutting up meat. He was covered in blood. His hands, clothes—even his face with and plastic glasses that he wore—were spattered with blood. In a slaughter house, this was not abnormal, and he wasn't afraid, although a little taken aback by the sight. The table was a little high for him to see over, but when he stretched on tip toe behind the man to see what was on the table, he gasped out loud, and loud enough for the butcher to hear him.

The man stopped what he was doing, twisted around, and then grabbed Light by his shirt collar and yanked him further into the room. He tossed him to a back wall and demanded to know how he got here. Light said he remembered being left in another room, but had found the door unlocked and wandered out, wondering where he was.

The man was not overly mean but not civil either. He shouted for someone elsewhere and then that someone else rushed into the room. It was another boy Light's age. The man cursed the boy, and said he was instructed to watch " _the brat_ ". He wasn't supposed to see any of this " _under it was his time_ ".

Light took in the rest to the room. This was not an animal slaughter house, per se, but rather a house of horrors. From shelves to buckets, body parts lay and hung everywhere on hooks, and dissembled heads were placed on shelves as if they were prized trophies. And they were not adults—they were all much, much younger.

Light bumped back into a wall, and the reverberation must have caused it to rock slightly. Something fell over, an object, and it bounced when it landed, then rolled around like a tipsy top, eventually situating itself between Light's feet.

And when he saw the boy's head in its grotesque, discoloured state—Light screamed.

x x x

Light Yagami awoke with a snort and a start and fell backwards in his chair. He hit the floor, but luckily he had the inclination to turn at the very last second and roll. Unfortunately, the chair rolled with him and trapped him underneath.

The minute it happened, both Matsuda and L came bolting to his side.

Matsuda took the chair off him. "Light, you okay? What happened?"

L bent over him, but taking a quick scan of the chair to see if the leg had snapped or a wheel had broken away to make this happen. When nothing was found, he then returned his attention back to Light.

"Yes, I'm okay," Light replied a little shaken. The chair had hit him in the lower back when he turned. He had tried to fall without hurting himself. Instead, his actions may have conformed to the opposite. He rubbed his lower back, saying, "Ow."

His father wasn't as close like the others, but when he saw what had happened he rushed over. He asked the same question as Matsuda and Light gave him the same answer.

L extended a hand to Light and helped him to his feet. "Looks like you were having yourself one nasty dream, Light," he said. "I was watching you for a good three minutes, your eyes closed. You seemed to have be in a very deep state of REM, your eyelids were fluttering and you were muttering something under your breath."

"What was I saying?" Light asked curiously.

"Your voice was incomprehensible, but I can read lips." L put a finger to his lips in introspect. "You were saying something to the tone of ' _Don't, don't; what have you done? They're…_ ' I couldn't catch the next word. But then you murmured a name: ' _Jasper'_."

Soichiro Yagami gasped, and looked like he was about to faint, his legs weak beneath him. Matsuda brought Light's chair to him to sit down. Soichiro Yagami's face looked like he had just seen a ghost. He put a hand to his mouth in a moment of disbelief.

"Chief? What's what? You're as white as a sheet."

"Matsuda, how many times have I told you I'm not your Chief anymore? I resigned from the NPA."

"Never mind that, Mr. Yagami," L retorted. "Are you okay? First Light tips out his chair and now you nearly faint. And from…what? They refer to me as one of the greatest detectives in the world, but without all the pieces to a puzzle even I can fail in solving a case. What happened? You nearly collapsed after you heard the name 'Jasper'."

"Light, why did you dream about _him_?"

"Who, Dad? I have no idea who _he_ is?

"So, you don't remember what happened in your dream?"

Light seemed to look inside himself, but then shook his head. "The only prominent thing I remember are… _chains_."

L raised his arm, the arm that was handcuffed and attached to a lengthy iron looped chain shared by Light. L nodded as if he had an explanation to Light's dream.

"It's funny how dreams derive from our reality," he said. "They can manifest our desires, or our greatest fears, into a dream-like state that has absolutely nothing to do with life. Or, they can take something from life and exaggerate it to extraordinary, abstract proportions. I don't know what your dreamt about, Light, but what I can tell you is dreaming of 'chains' means you feel trapped, and this is your mind's way of expressing your frustration."

"But I don't feel frustrated with this situation, Ryuzaki." Light looked at his handcuff and chain. "I actually feel reassured that you, albeit somewhat, trust me to even allow me to work with you on the Kira case."

L gave him a look of disbelief. "I'm not so sure." He got back into a chair and crouched down and mused for a moment. He once said that if he didn't sit this way, his cognitive thinking would be reduced by roughly forty percent. He never explained why. "Now, I've read a few books on dream analyzes and I can give you a detail list of what 'chains' could mean for you. But I'll save that for another time. I'll give you a short explanation instead. First, let me ask you: Are you a _Jungian_ or a _Freudian_? Because they both have different interpretations on dreams analyzes involving 'chain' imaginary."

"I really don't know. I've read a couple of books on Psychology, but—"

"Or I could just blame this on your Mother," Ryuzaki said.

Light clenched a fist. "How dare you! What does my Mother have to do with my dream?"

Soichiro Yagami shared his son's anger. "Yes, Ryuzaki! Explain yourself. That is ridiculous!"

L put up a hand. "Calm yourselves," he said, "that's not what I was implying." He mused for a moment. "I always find it fascinating that people are quick to act defensively even in the face of pure logic, especially when it goes against their principles, and attacks loved ones. The subconscious has a way to bring things to the surface with a sudden trigger. It can be anything from mere remembrance, or what we've seen during the day, even a taste, sound, or smell."

"Like a repressed memory?" Light questioned.

"Exactly, and I know a surefire method to bring out repressed memories. Perhaps we should dwell into a little session, you and I? It may also give promise to see if you have had any other 'memories' of another life?"

"Another life? You still think I'm Kira? How many times do we have to go through this, Ryuzaki? I'm not Kira!"

L pouted. "So you claim, or forgotten, but that's neither here nor there now. Hypnotism isn't legal in court, so if we did awaken any old memories of a certain nature, it wouldn't hold salt. Regardless, we can see about this dream. I can do it right now. Does anyone have a pocket watch?"

Light got another chair and sat down, literally dropping into the chair, a little upset, crossing his arms. "I'm not letting you rummage through my head looking for things, Ryuzaki. That's invasive, even if you find the truth that I'm not Kira. He gave a sideways, almost embarrassed look towards his father. "I don't tell my parents everything."

"I can attest to that. You were quite clever hiding those dirty magazines in cut out books in your room. Not even Watari found them when he was installing the cameras in your home during those two weeks we were watching you. By the way, curious question: Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?"

Light was a little taken aback by the question. And he actually had to think about it for a moment. If Misa was an indication, and how she acted towards him, blondes weren't his first choice.

He was just about to answer, when L interrupted, and said, "But let's get back to your dream."

Light nodded, happy to abstain from an answer.

"Is that all you remember from your dream? Just chains?"

Light nodded. L then mused for a moment.

L continued, "People who blurt out names in a dream often know that person on a more intimate level—as to say, more than just in passing. And the memory of that lost person or knowledge of them is so traumatic that it sometimes causes a psychosomatic response like PTSD. So, to forget that person is the only way to move on, blocking out the pain of that person. Do you have no idea who this Jasper is? Could he be an old friend? An important acquittance? Or someone who meant something else to you?"

"I'm telling you, Ryuzaki, I don't know."

Soichiro Yagami sighed. "Light may not remember, but I do," he said. "I think it's time I tell you something that I thought you had forgotten about that happened a long time ago. I hoped memories of it would never resurface because there was no need to reveal it to you if you didn't remember. Now with this dream, you'll come to remember things that I hoped were long buried. And it is best to learn things from me, so they're not so shocking."

Matsuda had brought him the chair, but he never sat down. Now he paced.

Soichiro Yagami continued: "You were only a child, about ten years old. We took you to see a therapist twice a week. Then, suddenly, things began to calm down, and it only became once a week. Then, we stopped going, because I saw it wasn't affecting you any longer. You seemed to have delivered your own self-therapy and went head-on, deep into your studies. Your Mother and I hoped you had forgotten, and it appeared you had. But now, whatever the trigger was, your memories are beginning to return of that awful time. It may or may not be because we're involved in hunting down Kira, their connections and similarities."  
Light looked at his father with concern. "Dad, what have I forgotten? Please tell me."

Soichiro Yagami took a moment. He looked like he was experiencing a conflict in morality in trying to keep something very important from being revealed, as if he was treating it like classified information of the highest order. A parent trying to protect his child? Maybe it was so painful that revealing it would scar Light?  
L halted him. "I think you should tell me first, Mr. Yagami. With the Kira case, and the potential of a double-personality" —he knew Light would protest that part and quieted him before he could speak a word— "exposing information of a sensitive nature may cause unwanted consequences."

"No, Ryuzaki, I want to hear what my Dad has to say. Go on, Dad," Light insisted.

His father took another moment, then nodded. "Jasper Yuta is his full name, and he's the son of a mass murderer who kidnapped and slaughtered nearly a dozen children over a two year period, we learned, nine years ago. And if it wasn't for the NPA, and their quick response, you Light, would've been his father's next victim."

_To be continued..._


	2. Yoma Yuta

Light gasped after he heard the news his father just told him, but urged him to continue. So many questions were already filling his mind and he wanted answers as quickly as possible.

  
He felt shocked that he had nearly been the victim of a serial killer when he was a child and never knew about it, or had decided to forget about it because it was so traumatic.

  
But if he wanted to be a police officer like his father, then he was going to have to learn to deal with situations like this, even if they were his own. He couldn’t let them faze him or change him. It came with the profession.

  
“Go on, Dad,” Light said.

  
“You were recused by the collective efforts of the NPA and our best SAT team,” his father explained. “ _The Knight’s Templar_ , they called themselves, after a quick operation. After Jasper Yuta’s father was captured, the media’s nickname for him: _The Child Butcher of Japan_ was headline news and the NPA received the highest praise, which, incidentally, granted me a promotion, because I was involved  in the case. They tried to tell me to leave it alone. But I had to get involved. I had to see you rescued alive, Light.”

  
“I understand Dad, thank you.” Light was even more shocked now. And he saw that L stared at him as if to evaluate his emotions. “This is upsetting that I had no knowledge of this until now, but seeing how disturbing it was, you were right not to tell me.”

  
“You were taken from our townhouse and were missing for three days, until we got a clue that you may have been spotted in the warehouse district by a homeless man who just happened to hear a radio bulletin on a newscast the night before, as he passed some workers. He said he had seen a child with your description walking with an older man in the area days before.” Soichiro Yagami seemed to breath a sense of relief relaying this story, as if bottling it up had been a heavy weight on his shoulders. “When you were rescued, your mother and I made a decision to move away from the area after I received my promotion, and we moved into a more spacious townhouse with my new salary. Over time, we hoped to put that horrific incident behind us.”

  
L mused in his crouched position in his chair, then he rotated it to a computer and began to type furiously. He pressed a button and information, a dossier, came up on the larger wall monitor for all to view. The rest of the task force gathered around L’s chair to read the profile of Yoma Yuta, Jasper’s father. “As L, I have access to information no one else does,” Ryuzaki said. “According to this, after Jasper’s father was captured and sentenced, he was taken a maximum security institution for the mentally ill.”

  
L read the rest to them. Then he got to Jasper Yuta.

  
L read the highlights: “Jasper Yuta: an American born citizen, half Japanese on his mother’s side. He moved to Japan with his father, leaving his mother, after there were several instances involving domestic impropriety. Other issues were documented including sexual harassment against other women and even child abuse. In additional to physical violence against others, he was arrested for other offences. Oddly enough he was never charged for anything. But the American justice system does work differently. When I worked in Los Angeles on the BB Murder file, I had to jump through so much red tape to even get a warrant, I almost lost it. I almost didn’t get the case solved. The Americans can be so frustrating sometimes. Suffice to say, Yoma Yuta slipped through the justice system and was allowed to reside in Japan. Jasper Yuta was only eight years old when he and his father immigrated to Japan.”

  
“Wow,” Light said out loud. L looked at him. “Sorry, I sped-read through the dossier. I was reading the list of charges Jasper Yuta has. He’s basically a carbon copy of his father in certain regards. His rap sheet is a mile long filled with offences that occurred mostly inside a child mental institution for the criminally insane, namely attacking other residents, highly aggressive behaviour, obsessive compulsive disorder when it comes to watching Japanese anime, and physical, even sexual assault.”

  
“Come to think of it, I think I remember this case—or reading about it. I was much younger at the time, before I was known as the world’s greatest detective.” L smirked smugly. “According to his most recent records, he’s currently in a maximum security mental institution like his father, but for young adults. He’s the same age as you, Light—nineteen?”

  
Light nodded, then frowned. “Yes, and on the taxpayers money,” he said disgruntled. “Forgive me, but we pay for these criminals to spend the rest of their lives in prisons erstwhile that money could be spent elsewhere like fixing are crumbling schools and other institutions, improving hospitals and even senior health care, even helping the infirm. It’s not fair. Some people should just be—”

  
“Executed, like say, by… _Kira?_ And be done with them?”

  
“That’s not what I said, Ryuzaki.”

  
“But that’s what you were thinking, weren’t you? And some people may agree with you. But that’s not how the justice system works. Kira is an abnormality. And we still don’t know how he kills. But Kira obviously isn’t omnipresent or he would have already known about Jasper Yuta and had him killed so he would no longer be a threat to the public if ever he got out. Jasper Yuta according to his profile is a threat to society and is unredeemable. I’m surprised at you, Light. You’re normally more collective then this.”

  
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Ryuzaki,” Light said. “And people like Jasper Yuta should never see the light of day.”

  
L looked at him curiously. “Is this a personal view?”

  
“After what I’ve learned, yes.” Light clenched a fist at his side. “But, to remind you yet again, Ryuzaki, I am not Kira!”

  
L waved a hand, as if to relent the argument for the moment. “Okay, getting back to the Jasper Yuta issue.” He pointed to something on the large monitor, after he scrolled down a couple of pages in the dossier. “It says here in this line—I can speed-read, too, Light—though not clarified, and yet after what we just heard from Mr. Yagami, this could refer to you, Light: ‘Incident with an unnamed underaged boy—13 years of age—not related to father’. Mr. Yagami, can you clarify this for us? If possible?”

  
“When his father was sent to prison, Jasper was only ten,” Siochiro Yagami began. “Jasper was sent to a mental institution because he showed signs of instability and psychotic behaviour like his father. He escaped one night and came after Light when Light was thirteen, blaming Light for his father’s incarceration. He broke into our home and into Light’s room and held a kitchen knife to Light’s throat. Kira appeared on the scene two years ago and we learned Yoma Yuta took his own life in his cell during Kira’s mass killing spree. Kira’s MO is a heart attack, but we do know that Kira conducted tests to see if a person can be controlled before they died. We suspected at the time that Yoma Yuta may have been controlled and hung himself at Kira’s behest. The minute I saw his name on the list of criminals Kira killed, I’ve kept tabs on his son. Jasper Yuta is safely locked up.”  


  
“Ah yes, it does say that Jasper’s father did kill himself in the file further down the page,” L verified. “And a classic case of deflection. Blaming someone else for what happened to another just because they were involved. Go on.”

  
“I don’t remember that,” Light said.

  
“He held a knife to your throat, Light,” Soichiro now spoke to his son directly, “but you defused the situation. Remember those martial arts classes I had you take and claimed it was training in preparation for police foundation courses?” Light nodded. “Well, they were actually self-defence courses, just in case, heaven forbid what happened did happen, and Jasper came after you. Long story short, you used what you learned and incapacitated him. However, he managed to get in one last blow in before I pounced on him, he kicked you down. You bumped your head on your bed post which later we learned caused short term memory loss.”

  
“That would explain things,” Light said, “and why I don’t remember any of this, or Jasper Yuta.”

  
“I was hoping the memory loss would be permanent.” His father signed. “But now, with this dream… Are you angry with me?”

  
“Why, Dad? Because you tried to protect me? No, never—you did what any parent would do to protect their child.” Soichiro Yagami smiled. “I imagine, if I did remember, it would have haunted me for the rest of my life, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”

  
L snorted curiously. “The person you are today, that’s interesting,” he mused. “Oddly enough, past experiences do forge a person’s future psyche, whether they realize it or not. I’m not saying one way or the other, but this may have something to do with your embattlement with criminal justice and why you are so hellbent on—dare I say it—catching Kira. Or being—“

  
Light stopped L before he finished the thought, giving him a nasty look.

  
“Okay,” L ceased. “Let me put it another way. When you first came to the task force, before we jailed you for fifty days plus, you said something about the possibility of yourself suffering from a form of dissociative personality disorder, or a multiple personality, when it came to being Kira.” He put up a hand up to halt Light from interrupting when he saw it coming. “Let me finish,” he said, then continued. “Putting that into context, there is something to be said about projecting your need for justice in another form, as a different person, not unlike your own. However, most people who suffer from DPD, are not cognitive of their different personalities. Therefore, we have to conclude, and this is the part I don’t like, because you claim you don’t remember doing anything regarding Kira’s acts, that you, Light are not Kira. If you were knowledgable of the murders, it would bet very difficult to mask Kira’s personality—and you show no signs of psychopathic behaviour; some OCD, especially when it comes to your hair style, but not psychopathic.”

  
Light nodded. “Now you believe me, Ryuzaki. Logic cannot lie. And what’s wrong with my hair?”

  
“It’s a little old fashion, don’t you think? Unlike mine"

“Your hair looks like your stuck a fork into a wall socket,” Light rebuked.

"Anyway, I agree with you about Kira, to a certain extent. But people can lie. If Kira’s powers can be transferred somehow, and all memories erased, to save for later and to acquire later after things have calmed down, then this could explain why your memories are gone of all events regarding Kira’s killings.”

  
Light frowned and gave Ryuzaki another nasty look. “Do you want another punch in the mouth, Ryuzaki? Because I swear…”

  
“It’s too bad you refuse to be hypnotized, it would clear so many things.”

  
Light jumped out of his chair, but his father caught him in time before he reached L. He struggled against his father’s grip, but eventually Light relented and then dropped back into his chair, huffed, crossed his arms, and rotated his chair back to a desk laptop.

  
“You need to control that temper, Light,” L said. “One day it will be your undoing.”

  
“I don’t need to be psychoanalyzed by you, Ryuzaki,” Light replied curtly. “Let’s just get back to the Kira Case and worry about Jasper Yuta later. His file says he’s locked up in a maximum security institution. So, there’s no sense worrying about him. Let him rot in there. I, frankly, don’t give a damn about him. What I want most is to clear my name in being regarded as a mass murder myself.”

  
L could sense Light’s frustration. “And let’s all pray for that, Light,” he said. “Because you’ll make a great detective someday.”

_To be continued..._


	3. Jasper Yuta

Two male interns escorted the nineteen year old into the therapists office. Compared to the two accompanying him, the teen looked malnourished and unhealthy, skinny. But his weight was average for his height. The interns were just larger and more muscular.

One intern pushed the teen forward, for whatever reason, and the teen stumbled a few steps. It was widely known, and there had been several complaints by the institution's residents, that these two interns liked to pick on residents. This was but one institution for the criminal and mentally insane for young adults. Several media stories had been done on this institution, and every report gave it a warming glow, saying that the residents were treated with respect and humane.

Some would disagree, namely a choice few of the residents that the two particular interns targeted. But when a reporter came to interview the staff, these "troublesome residents" were locked away.

That included Jasper Yuta. And he had a reputation for being the most troublesome of all. He had a nickname among the residents: "Straight-Jacket Yuta", which he took in stride, but they would never say it to his face. He had a record of being wrapped in a jacket and sent to isolation more than any resident for causing trouble. Once, someone called him "Straight-Jacket Yuta" to his face, and the next thing the resident knew, he woke up in the infirmary with three broken rips, a broken nose, and two blackened eyes.

The other residents respected, or rather didn't make any trouble for him, obeying him without question, and giving him whatever he wanted. Except for the staff and especially these two interns.

The therapists office, which was on site, was a spacious room and furnished with soft, big furniture, and everything was secured down. It was also policy to never bring in anything that could be used as a weapon by a resident and to lock up all personal items before a session began.

Jasper had come to this room once a week. As long as he resided in this institution, Friday was his day.

He had been coming here for four years straight, ever since he was transferred from an another institution, and one before that, and another before that, and one that solely dealt with unstable children, thirteen and under, after he escaped from one other.

Since his arrival, he was watched like a hawk. And even though it was illegal, every resident in this institution had a GPS pellet surgically implanted under their skin on their left forearm that tracked their location, health, and anything else prudent. For security purposes, if they stepped beyond a certain boundary, they would be shocked like a dog to halted them in their tracks.

Of course, if anyone knew about it, the human rights groups would be in an uproar. So, it was kept under wraps, in conjunction with the DIET and the Japanese judiciary bodies, controversial as it was.

It was actually a test project, and if successful, would then be implemented to every health institution, correctional facility, and prison in the country. So far, in two years, it had a one-hundred percent success rate.

The therapist stood in the middle of the room next to a one-seater chair, which sat next to a light blue, large, but soft couch. He wasn't a particularly tall man, but he had a presence about him that made him look both educated and confident—a therapist for a number of years. But he was not Japanese, he was American. It was also policy in this institution to pair residents with therapists who not only spoke their language fluently, but who also compared to them nationally. Apparently, it made the residents feel more comfortable, albeit the racial undertones of the practice. However, it worked. And avoided any conniptions by the residents.

Jasper straightened and glanced back at the two interns with hate in his eyes.

"Please, gentlemen," the middle-aged therapist, with the colonial beard, said. He adjusted his glasses with a thumb. He had the same look of the KFC fried-chicken ikon. "There's no need for violence. This may be an institution for the unhealthy-minded" —politically correctly stated— "but everyone deserves respect. Or should I inform your superiors of your illicit behaviour?"

Jasper Yuta smirked at the two interns, who were also American. In Japan, Americans were both loved and hated at the same time, but they made the best enforcers for authority because they just looked meaner. Both men frowned, and then returned a nasty stare to the teen. Yuta knew he would get a beating for his smirk later and they'd blame him for misbehaving.

One intern said, "Sorry doc, but Jasper gives us a lot of trouble, and the only way he'll listen is if you beat sense into him."

"Dumb thugs like you two need to respect their intelligential betters," Jasper mocked.

"See, he's being contentious and rude again," the other intern said.

Jasper's brow arched. "Impressive, you actually do have a brain. Contentious is a big word for an idiot like you."

"Ok, that's enough," the therapist said. "I've read your file, Jasper, and it does say you have a very high IQ. But to belittle others is beyond some, don't you agree?"

"I get bored, there's not a lot to do here."

"There's plenty to do in the infirmary, especially if you're recovering from a beatdown, you little shit!" the first intern said.

"Okay, let cooler heads prevail," the therapist said calmly. "I would like to speak with Jasper Yuta alone. Please lock the door on your way out, gentlemen. I'll give you the usual signal to inform you that the session is over, so you can unlock the door."

The therapist was adamant with his instructions and Jasper actually waved goodbye to the two smugly, actually sticking his tongue out in a childish manner.  
There were no cameras in the room due to privacy laws, but there was a panic button, so if anything happened, the interns could enter and stabilize the situation if it was pressed. There had only been one time they had to do so, and that was when Jasper refused to take his medicine and attacked the therapist. Since then, they watched him take his meds every time.

When the door slammed shut, Jasper smirked, but he kept looking at the door, while the therapist sat down. "Come Jasper, have a seat. Let's have a conversion," he said. "I'm eager to begin this session."

Jasper turned around, looked at the room, eying places for anything possible to use as a weapon. But then relented with the idea. He then looked at the therapist. He brushed his dark hair back with a hand. He had had not had a haircut in months and it was getting very long, but the staff would not allow him to tie it up with anything for fear of it being used against them.

Jasper remained standing near the door. "You're not the regular therapist," he said.

"My name is Dr. Stanley Wallace. I'm American, but I also speak Japanese, among other languages: German, French, and some Spanish. The regular therapist is sick and I offered to fill in. I've stepped in a couple of times in this institution, but this is the first time I am seeing you. I was told—instructed would be a better term for it—to read your file and to thoroughly understand it carefully."

Jasper folded his arms across his chest. "Wise precaution," he said smugly. "So, you know who I am and what I can do to you then, huh? I've been shuffled off to a lot of institutions, this one not being the worse but erstwhile not the best either. But every one of them had one thing in common, they all hated me."

Dr. Wallace crossed his legs comfortably, one leg over the other, and his arms settled on other arm of the chair. It was clear a sign that he was relaxed. "Your offences are lengthy, including multiple assault charges on other residents, attacks on staff members, and one account of sexual deviancy with a new resident—who had just been transferred to this institution just last year."

Jasper dropped his arms. He'd give this therapist a chance. "I'm an adult, and so was he. And whether he told it differently—it was consensual. This is a male only institution and they don't allow conjugal visits like other prisons. There's only so much I can do on my own before it becomes boring. I needed release from the stress of this place. I had to get my rocks polished somehow and he gave me the opportunity. I didn't mind he was a guy."

"Please refrain from using pejorative slang, it's insulting to the victim. So, you decided to rape a fellow resident because you felt frustrated?" Dr. Wallace paused for a moment. "It says in your file that you are straight, but you decided to have homoerotic sex with another resident in the shower. You made him bleed and he attempted suicide twice after that."

"Three times," Jasper said.

"Twice," the doctor corrected. "The third time he succeeded."

Jasper shrugged. "His loss, not mine. I got what I needed at the time."

He crossed the floor and decided to take a seat on the couch next to the therapist. The couch was softer than when he remembered the last time he was here. He bounced on the cushion and decided to play around a little, like a kid on a trampoline. And Dr. Wallace didn't stop him. The other therapist would have immediately scolded him and told him to sit properly.

"Having fun, Jasper?"

Jasper stopped and eyed the therapist when Dr. Wallace sounded a bit too condescending for his liking.

He sat back in the couch and crossed his legs much like the therapist.

It was observed that a lot of intelligent people crossed their legs in this fashion, not because it looked smart but it was the most comfortable for them, as it was for him.

There was one resident at the institution that liked to crouch on a chair instead of sitting on it like a monkey. He had an eccentric personality, and spent a lot of time alone, but he also liked flinging his faeces at people.

So, other than himself, the "eccentric resident" was the second person here that people didn't bother.

When Jasper appeared settled, Dr. Wallace reached behind his chair and brought something out. It was a sketch book. And immediately Jasper's jaw tightened, and so did much of his body. He uncrossed his legs. "Where did you get that?"

"From your room," Dr. Wallace said. "I was given permission to borrow it for the session."

"That's an invasion of my privacy! What's in there is for my eyes and mine alone!"

"I've already taken a look through it, Jasper." Dr. Wallace flipped through the sketch book. "You're a very good artist. And for little or no training on depth or humanly form, your sketches are quite remarkable. He stopped on one page, said, "Who is this?"

Jasper's lip jilted slightly and he eyed the therapist with an uncomfortable stare. Dr. Wallace didn't seem fazed. The page was open to the sketch of a young boy with shaded hair in pencil. He enjoyed sketching in his room. It was the one thing, less reading, and pondering about how his life could have been, that he was allowed to do freely. The sketch book was filled with similar pictures of the same boy, but this one, Jasper felt was the best. He was surprised the therapist had zoned in on this one in particular.

"You took something that didn't belong to you, doctor," Jasper said coldly. "That is rude."

"So is not answering my question, Jasper. Is this someone from your past, someone you knew?"

"You've read my file. You tell me." He eyed the therapist with a cold stare, but then drifted his gaze to the sketch. A fist clenched at his side. Jasper knew who the boy was, and considered him his mortal enemy. But it was a picture of the last time he'd seen him.

"Very well," the therapist said, and then flipped through the sketch book some more. He flipped through so quickly that Jasper felt like he was mocking each sketch with every turnover. He came to another one of his best sketches, Jasper thought, and turned it over. "Again, who is this boy? I want to hear his name from your lips." It sounded more like an order than a request.

"Do you think I am a pedophile, doctor? Just because I like to draw little, teenage boys?"

"I never said that. In fact, the coordinator at this institution has informed me of exactly who this may be, and one boy, in fact."

"Then why ask me a semi-rhetorical question, doctor?"

Dr. Wallace paused, then folded the sketch book in his lap. "Have you been taking your medicine, Jasper?"

Jasper cocked his head, then looked up at a ceiling. Due to privacy laws, there were no cameras allowed in the therapy rooms, but there was a panic button hidden on the floor near the therapist's chair. It was just underneath the chair. He knew this, because it had already been used once during one of Jasper's therapy sessions. He looked back at the man. "I have, and I'm watched every time I do. But they are garbage and taste like cardboard. I'm not sick."

"There are many different types of mental illness, Jasper. Medicines are specialized to combat each symptom, some work in conjunction with others for maximum effect. You file says you take five different medicines a day and one of them is to control rage. You tried to kill this little boy six years ago, didn't you? After you cleverly escaped an institution for mental illnesses. You're highly gifted, so you were able to by-pass the building's systems. You tried to take revenge for your father's incarceration, didn't you?"

Jasper crossed his legs again. He felt unusually calm despite the subject matter. "It was a case of mistaken identity, I'm better now. But for the record, the police arrested the wrong person. My father didn't do anything wrong, and he is—was—certainly not The Child Butcher of Japan. That non-de-plume belonged to someone else, someone who is still out there."

"The abductions and killings ceased when Yoma Yuta, your father, was captured; he even confessed, but stated he was 'freeing the children's souls from damnation'. He subsequently died in a mental institution for the criminally insane by way of suicide about a year ago, hanging himself."

"Is this a therapy session or an interrogation, doctor? If you know all this, why ask me?"

Dr. Wallace adjusted his glasses with a middle finger at the bridge.

There was a few tense moments of silence. Jasper figured the man was deciding to go a different route. Jasper had been subjected to enough of these sessions that he knew this man was an amateur. He failed to concede to the cardinal rule of therapy: let the patient talk, let the patient free pent up feelings and frustration, and never tell the patient how he should feel by bringing up personal history, so then the therapist could ask other, more personal questions. It was all about information taking, and instead of Wallace gathering valuable information on Jasper, it was the therapist whom Jasper was collecting data on.

"Okay," Wallace reached into an inside pocket of his jacket and brought out a pen and a small notepad, and said, "Tell me, what sort of man was your father? When you were with him, what kind of person was he to you? Was he a loving father?"

What sort of person was he to him? Classic family question, Jasper realized. It was to get him to reveal his ID and Ego, and then to label him one thing or another. There was nothing unusual in the relationship and he considered all the accusations against his father were falsified to suit an agenda. The question was to reveal his feelings and designed to breakthrough his barriers. But he was smarter than that. And when he looked at Dr. Wallace waiting for an answer, he knew the man had made an error in judgment.

"No, I don't think I want to talk to you anymore. You disappoint me. This session is over. Please return my sketch book now."

He leaned over, reaching for his book. But the therapist didn't react quickly enough and Jasper gabbed his pen instead, and plunged deep into the therapist's throat, so he couldn't cry out. Then he pushed the chair back, so Wallace couldn't press the panic button either. Blood sputtered out from the wound and Wallace croaked out his last breath before dying in the chair, his body going limp.

Jasper rummaged through Wallace's jacket and found his cell phone. Mistake number two. He must not have read the policy that all personal items were to be locked away and collected later, so the residents could not use them against them. Jasper smiled at the dead therapist and then tapped on his phone. "What a fool you are, doctor. No password? Don't you know this is the age of cyber-warfare where anything can be hacked and used against you?"

He went to the personal message section and typed in a phone number, then typed in a short message. He just hoped the number was still active. The last time he phoned or messaged this number was six years ago, the last time he had escaped an institution. In fact, the person at the other end of the number had actually helped him escape. He pressed SEND.

Visiting the internet, he typed in a name, and curiously enough, the very first search cited was of the person he was looking for.

There was also a picture, very similar to that that was in his sketch book, the face was branded into his memory, and a sports article, whereas, Light Yagami had won the Japan Junior Tennis Championship at age nine, showed.

He searched further, and found more up-to-date information on him—when he had graduated at the top of his class in high school and was one of two students who recited the welcome speech at Toho University, that was written in someone's personal blog who was attending the same university. In the same blog, in a later entry, it also said that Light Yagami had been absent lately, and had been for a couple of months, without explanation, and people wondered why.

The information on the internet was astounding since the last time he visited, and so easily accessible, and free. He wasn't allowed to use a computer at the institution for fear that he might make contact with some of his old friends.

With more in-depth searching, he also learned that when he typed in Yagami, he found that Light's father was the Chief Superintendent at the NPA—the National Police Force.

But he already knew that. Soichiro Yagami was the man who had shot his father, bursting into the slaughter house room with his gun blazing to save his son, shooting his father in the leg.

Yagami then turned his gun on him—telling him to freeze or die.

It was how he was caught, and then taken away with his father.

No, former Chief now, he resigned his position. His current position was not noted.

When Jasper looked further down the search engine list, other searches popped up connected to the letters NPA, and they referred to the notorious mass murderer Kira—who was all the talk in Japan recently. Kira murdered criminals, and so far, he had killed hundreds. There was nowhere they could hide, according the information he had read—nothing and nowhere was off limits.

He had a thought, and dug deeper, and cross-referenced when Kira first made his appearance, and his own father's death, and found a correlation. Kira was active when his father killed himself in his cell. The wheels of his mind turned, in fact, they spun around in a fiery spin filed with plumes of smoke.

Despite what everyone said, he knew full well who his father was, and what he had done; the media had been all over it. There was no doubt in his mind now that Kira had murdered his father, albeit by supernatural means.

He looked at the dead therapist, after taking his wallet, stealing any money and credit cards, and said, "To answer your question, doctor. I love my father. And now that I know the truth of what happened to him, Kira will pay for murdering him."

He looked at the clock on the wall, there was still forty-five minutes left in his therapy session.

This was the perfect opportunity to put his escape plan into action, one that he had been planning for quite sometime. He had spent weeks getting more familiar with the institution layout, memorizing things like locations, patrols and checkpoints. It wasn't Fort Knox, but it was designed that keycards and fobs were needed to move through doors, and he had secretly stolen both, and presently had them on him. However, they would no doubt be deactivated by now after they were seen missing, so he would have to steal more.

After killing the therapist, he had a brilliant idea, but he would need to work fast to implement it.

x x x

At the main reception desk, a woman with several years of expertise in such things manned it, when the telephone rang. It was a call from an outside line, and the name and number came up private.

She let it ring twice, then picked up the receiver, recited the name of the institution, and then finished with: "How may I help you?" A man with a gruff sounding voice with a dominating tone was on the other end and he asked for resident information. "I'm sorry, sir. But patient information cannot be released to unauthorized persons over the phone. It's against policy. Are you a family member?"

"Who is this? Where is the person I normally speak to?" He recited the name.

Just then, a large male intern was walking down the hall, and then stopped at the desk. He noticed she was having some difficulty and asked what was wrong. She covered the receiver with a hand, then said that a rude sounding man was asking about a resident, but she couldn't give him any information as it was against policy. "He claims to be a law enforcement agent, a Soichiro Yagami."

The intern nodded, and asked for the phone. "You wouldn't know him, as you're only filling in for the normal receptionist who is on vacation. This is a weekly call. I'll talk to him." He took the call. He recited his name, and then said, "Mr. Yagami, glad to hear from you again…Yes, Jasper Yuta is perfectly fine…Yes…He's currently in a therapy session at the moment…Yes…I can assure you, you have nothing to worry about…Yes, I'm glad to dissuade your worries. Thank you for your call."

With assurances made, the call ended on a positive note. The intern handed back the receiver to the receptionist, filled her in, and then began flirting with her, who seemed welcome to his advances.

_To be continued..._

 


	4. Recollection

 

 

 

Light Yagami lay in bed with an arm under his head resting on his pillow. He stared up at the ceiling of his room. The de facto headquarters of the Kira Task Force looked like an average building of enterprise built by Ryuzaki with funds of his own. Although, Light figured there had to be some private investors who contributed.

From the outside facade, there was nothing extraordinary about it. But on the interior, it housed a massive complex of rooms, all furnished, with residential suites, a library, sophisticated computer servers, a gaming suite, with all the latest hardware and software—because everyone needed to unwind—and one floor was solely reserved for a kitchen. The building also had an exercise gym, and an entertainment room, designed to look like a theatre. That was just to start. There was even a panic room, if necessary.

Light was offered the privilege to use everything as long as he was watched, Ryuzaki with him, chained like some animal. Light didn't like the idea that he couldn't move freely, but that was the price he agreed to if he wanted to work on the Kira Case. At night, he slept in his own room, but he was secured to a wall ring with a lengthy chain. Once again, a price he had to pay. Every morning, Ryuzaki would personally release him, attach himself to Light, and the day would start anew.

He was also watched by surveillance cameras, so everywhere he went, everything he did—even when he took a shower, or went to the bathroom—he was watched. But it getting to be pointless, he thought, because he had no intention of doing anything nefarious. All he wanted to do was find Kira and clear his name.

If L was right, then Kira's powers bordered on the morphic—which meant that they could be transferred from person to person, distorted, hidden or disguised, so they were undetectable by others. That was one way to describe Kira's powers. Another one was supernatural and god-like. Where did Kira come from? And why did Kira have such an infinitesimal sense of justice against evil? And yet, he murdered twelve innocent FBI agents out of spite because he didn't want to get caught.

_Is Kira actually good or bad? And did his plight began with pureness in his heart, but end up turning dark?_ Light wondered.

There was debate on whether Kira was evil or just determined—online debate. L and the rest of the task force were staunch in their belief that Kira was pure evil, but Light wasn't so sure. And he pondered whether what Kira was doing was actually making the world safer and free of crime. The world was a rotten place. With Kira, it was becoming better.

Yet, he kept that opinion to himself. He didn't want to self-incriminate himself with idealistic notions of Kira gratitude.

He wondered if he had the same power, what would he do? Would he act the same as Kira? He knew some criminals were better off dead, so they wouldn't reoffend. But some people were caught in horrible situations and then imprisoned with minor offences. They didn't deserve to die. It seemed Kira could differentiate between major and minor crimes—he didn't kill everyone. People were afraid to offend now and the truly awful criminals hid in the shadows for fear of having Kira's judgment upon them—namely death.

There were reports that some criminals had gone underground and were now using aliases to hide themselves. This made it nearly impossible for Kira to kill them. But if their picture and name had even once been plastered on the internet, they weren't safe. And yet, and he had been finding it happening more and more, criminal profiles and their real names were disappearing from the web, as if they were erasing themselves. One moment, he would be researching criminal profiles on the web, and then the next, an error came up, as if the file had been suddenly deleted—even from the Dark Web with expert prowess.

At the moment, Kira was staying quiet. There had been no mass killings of criminals.

There were media reports that some people were dying by Kira's method, but not like they were before—some well-do-to, business men, with connections to high profile companies. But this wasn't Kira's _modus operandi_.

Why would Kira suddenly start murdering businessmen? Was he in the mercenary business now? Hired for hostage takeovers of businesses by others when CEO's suddenly died? That didn't fit Kira's profile. The original Kira, or even the Second Kira. But, if there was another Kira with a different agenda…

Ryuzaki theorized there was originally one Kira: Light. Then a Second Kira branched onto the scene. Misa Amane was accused of this. But neither remembered any of the crimes they were supposedly accused of, as if their memories were completely erased of all occurrences, when cornered, and summarily imprisoned and interrogated. Now they both were helping L to catch Kira.

_It's bizarre to say the least,_ Light thought.

That was Kira Case.

But something else nagged at Light's mind.

Who was Jasper Yuta?

_...Who are you?_

He thought long and hard, but couldn't come up with anything. It had been like he was just staring at words on paper without any substance when he read Jasper Yuta's profile. It felt like what his father had told him and what he had learned from reports in relation to his own experiences belonged to something else.

He felt disconnected from it. On a psychological front, perhaps it could have had something to do with his determination in becoming a police officer like this father. He wanted to protect people, possibly from a similar fate. And the very idea that he never wanted anything like what happened to him to happen to anyone else evident.

But he didn't remember any of it. So, how could that influence his decision to be a police officer? Had it been subconscious?

He thought back to the words of one of the greatest literality detectives of all time, Sherlock Holmes: 'When you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth'. He didn't want to even conceive it, but maybe Ryuzaki was correct in suggesting hypnotism—and that his memories of that time should come fully to the surface, even if forced. If they didn't resurface, it would bother him until they did and he wouldn't be able to concentrate on the Kira Case.

Perhaps that's why he felt sleepy recently? And hIs subconscious was working in the background trying to bring this to the surface?  
But perhaps he would also learn another truth under hypnotism, one he denied.

No, a sudden shock might disturb his mind, and cause him undue stress. He would have to allow those memories to re-surface on their own. But he still couldn't believe that something like that had happened to him without him remembering it.

He felt tired. He had already prepared himself for bed, brushed his teeth, and read a little bit of a novel Ryuzaki had suggested. But this thing about Jasper Yuta was keeping him awake.

"Forget about it, Light," he told himself. "Just go to sleep. All will be revealed in time. Just let it come naturally."

He turned over on his side, closed his eyes, and dozed off. He would pick up where he left off tomorrow morning.

x x x

In the main surveillance room, alone, L sat crouched on a chair and watched Light close his eyes and doze off. He didn't consider what he was doing voyeurism, instead he was watching Light for any reaction to the information he had learned during the day, namely that he had once been kidnapped by a child serial killer and nearly killed, and to see if he remembered anything on his own.

As everyone went off to sleep for the night, L stayed up—he was the ultimate night owl—and went back and reviewed Jasper Yuta's profile, and the case files of Yoma Yuta—every media file he could find at the time. The case itself was horrific, and a dozen young children had been butchered by a sadistic maniac derived from a mental illness. The only constellation for the parents of the children who had been killed was that the killer had been brought to justice.

And yet, with the advent of Kira in the world, that justice was cut short when Kira used some sort of mind manipulation to force Yoma Yuta to kill himself in his cell, death by hanging. Like L said before, that was not how justice worked. Criminals were sentenced to jail to pay for their crimes. Kira skipped that step and killed them—one punishment for every serious crime, whether they were charged or not. Accused by social media. Some criminals got off on technicalities—if their names were misspelled, for example, or the justice system couldn't convict a person based on a lack of evidence, or someone lied. But only a few slipped passed Kira's judgement.

However, things had changed. Kira was not as active as before. Indications of his killings could be seen within the business world now, where prominent executives were dying by heart attack. Was this a Third Kira? This Third Kira was much different from the first, or the Second Kira—supposedly Light Yagami and Misa Amane—and L didn't like how this Third Kira operated. He was more evil, and killed innocent people, supposedly, for personal gain. What was the endgame? What was this new Kira trying to accomplish?

_Criminals are dying, but not at the same rate by the first Kira,_ L thought.

As L theorized, Kira's power could be transferred from person to person. But from what he could gather, Light Yagami nor Misa Amane were participating in anything untold regarding these new batch of killings. Both claimed they had no knowledge of what came before, or anything of Kira's movements. However, with the mention of the word Shinigami by the Second Kira in a television broadcast, it did implore the possibility of something other-worldly taking place, no matter how fantastic it seemed.

But L wondered—whose to say there wasn't another world beyond the human realm? Some of the greatest scientists like Professor Stephen Hawking and Albert Enstein theorized about other meta-physical worlds. So, it was possible.

"I've never experienced anything like Kira," L murmured to himself, as he watched Light role in bed. "Kira scares me."

L observed Light toss and turn in bed, like he was an intense dream. When he turned over, he fell asleep quite quickly. Light was obviously tired if he had fallen asleep earlier at his work station. Was he having another dream?

L was positive he had captured Kira when he first incarcerated Light Yagami—the evidence was solid. But then Kira slipped through his fingers with Light's sudden amnesia.

_Or am I staring directly at you, Kira?_ "I was never more sure of anyone who was as guilty of murder than you, Light Yagami. Now…I don't know. I still don't know how you killed your victims, but I'll find out. I always solve my cases."

Light once accused L of a witch hunt against him in being Kira, but Ryuzaki didn't believe that. His logic never failed him, the clues lead L right to Light. L had solved some of the most difficult cases including the one that took place in Los Angeles. He called it the BB Murder Case, and it involved a criminal who called himself Beyond Birthday—a pseudonym for a man so sadistic, he wanted to become the most notorious criminal in the world. He challenged L to a game of whits, much like Kira did. In the end, L won.

But the Kira Case was much more perplexing and it had a supernatural conniption to it that seemed unreal.

When Light and Misa were incarcerated, he thought he had solved it. Then the unthinkable happened, another Kira appeared. The Kira who was now killing prominent businessmen—also murdering criminals simultaneously—a Third Kira, and this caused a rift between him and the rest of the task force.

Eventually, he had to release Light and Misa, and they joined the task force. Well, Light did, Misa continued with her acting career. Oddly enough, she remained infatuated with Light with an affection for him that bordered on OCD.

Kira had murdered the man who killed Misa's parents, hence logic presumed Misa joined Kira to wage war on criminals to cleanse the world of evil, staying close to Light—with similar powers.

When Misa and Light were caught, Kira soon disappeared, and both their memories were absolved of Kira's influence. Misa's love for Light should have left as well, but it remained stronger than ever. Although the affection was more or less for Kira—and one-sided according to Light Yagami—Light said he didn't feel the same about Amane like she did about him.

And L, like Light, didn't believe in the fathom of love at first sight either.

Light continued to toss and turn in bed quite abnormally as L watched him on the screen. He decided to turn up the sound to see if Light was muttering anything under his breath like earlier in the day asleep at his work station. Light hadn't been sleeping well, he had mentioned. Not sleeping well affected mental health and the ability to think more clearly and efficiently—which may have been the reason why he suddenly dreamt of Jasper Yuta.

"Don't, don't. What have you done? They're… _only kids!_ …Jasper?"

And there it was. The part he had missed when L read Light's lips earlier. Was Light's subconscious recalling the same dream again? Perhaps replying or continuing it? By way of dream analyses, this was a way for the brain to bring to the surface something it wanted the conscious mind to know, to be re-awakened. And now that Light's father had told him what had happened, perhaps Light's brain wanted the rest of things to broach the surface with another dream.

_But why now? Could it be as simple as working on the Kira Case that triggered this old memory? As his Soichiro Yagami inferred?_ L wondered this, but it was only conjecture at this point. _  
_

Suddenly, Light Yagami bolted upright in his bed and screamed as if he just had a horrific nightmare.

L jumped off his chair and quickly took the elevator down one floor to the residential complex, and as he ran down the hallway, he knocked heavily on Soichiro Yagami's door, saying, "Mr. Yagami, your son needs you!"

The door to Soichiro Yagami's door whipped open, as L made his way down the corridor to Light's room. "Ryuzaki, what is it?"

L used his key card to open Light's secured room and glanced back at Soichiro Yagami as he entered, but didn't say anything. He disappeared into Light's room.  
Still chained to the wall, Light's his feet were planted on the floor as he sat on the edge of his bed. He was breathing heavy with short breaths and his arms were folded into his chest as if he having a heart attack. L figured it was more of a panic attack from the nightmare. It must have been bad, Light's hair was saturated with sweat, and he looked ashen. Like he had seen a ghost.

"Light, you okay?" L asked.

Soichiro Yagami rushed into the room wearing a housecoat, soon after. "Light, what's the matter?" He sat down next to his son on the bed and Light suddenly leaned in and pressed his head against his father's chest, and hugged his father, like a scared child.

L stood back, and observed. This was uncharacteristic of Light, he actually looked physically shaken.

"I remember everything, Dad. All of it! Jasper and his father. Oh, Dad…it was horrible. He stripped me and strapped my arms and legs on the metal table. He was going to cut me into pieces. He was holding the meat clever up and was about to bring it down, when you burst in. You shot Yoma Yuta in the arm. Jasper tried to attack you, too. But another officer stopped him before he could."

L had this vision of Light as a little boy cradled in his father's hands after he had just seen something horrific. Even though Light was nineteen, human emotion had no barrier, and often, fear was the most prominent and profound emotion humanity could experience. Light Yagami, at present, was frightened, and shell-shocked. And L wondered if Light, an adult now, was silently crying in his father's arms. He wouldn't blame Light—all those memories flooding back would be intense.

Soichiro Yagami put a hand to his son's head and cradled him in his arms. "It's okay, Light. Everything is fine now. I'm here."

L was a little taken aback. This was actual raw emotion from Light that he thought he'd never see. This was not atypical from the person he thought was Kira. Kira was a psychopath, he would never get scared like this. Perhaps, he may have been wrong about Light Yagami. Many people had opinions about criminals, but Light Yagami was expressing a completely different personality than the serial killer L had been hunting for the past year and a half. This was real, Light wasn't playacting. If he was pretending, Light deserved an award for best dramatic serial killer in a television series.

Soichiro Yagami looked up at L. "Do you see now, Ryuzaki? You're wrong about my son. He's not Kira, not in the slightest."

L opened his mouth to say something when his phone rang. He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled it out, holding it to his ear with two fingers, thumb and fore finger, like it were made of glass. He answered: "Yes?"

It was Watari. "Ryuzaki, you wished to be informed if there was any change in the current situation regarding Jasper Yuta." L was silent for a moment and he suddenly had a vision of the worse possible news.

Watari then confirmed it.

L snapped a look at Soichiro Yagami. "Mr. Yagami—terrible news! Jasper Yuta has escaped!"

_To be continued..._

 


	5. Known Associates

Times had changed since the last time he was free from the walls of a mental institution. _The World of Kira,_ as some called it, was a much different place from what he remembered. People walked the streets unmolested and unafraid of criminals, knowing that if something untold happened to them, they would report it on the internet, and then Kira would enact justice upon the accused.

Except when the victim was murdered and they couldn't tell the tale of their molestation, theft, and then demise.

And this is how Jasper Yuta was able to solve his dilemma of being undetected when he broke out of the mental institution that kept him prisoner of four plus years—stealing an unsuspecting man's identity, money, and cell phone, and swopping the therapist's phone SIM card for this person's, so the phone could not be tracked by those who had the ability.

He then recalled how previous events unfolded.

After he had murdered the therapist with his own pen, stabbing him in the throat until he suffocated and bled to death, he collected items that he needed to make his escape. Then, knowing the signal to alert the intern waiting outside the door, he first retrieved the pen from Dr. Wallace's throat—sarcastically thanking him once again for his therapeutic advise—and knocked on the inside of the therapists' office door three times. This told the person on the other end that the session was over.

This, he did after waiting a good twenty minutes, to give the appearance he and the therapist had bonded.

When the intern opened the door, Jasper stepped back, and allowed the intern to enter. There was just the one. The smarter one was no doubt flirting with the receptionist at the main desk like he always did. Once the intern entered, Jasper then slammed the door quickly, and stabbed the intern fast and furiously, like he did the doctor, in the throat, so he couldn't call out.

The nastier intern died almost instantaneously.

Then he stole what he needed: keycard and fob, and last but not least, found an illegal pocket knife that the intern had in his pants pocket. He had used it on Jasper more than once for intimidation. Jasper then braved the hurt and cut out the GPS pellet that was implanted in his left forearm that this institution implored to keep track of the residents and pushed it down the intern's throat.

He stepped out casually from the therapist's office, as if he was given permission, ever watched, smiled at the one of the female resident nurses that walked by, and then headed down the hall. No one stopped him.

Until he ran into the other intern who had escorted him to the therapist just before he got to his room.

The intern questioned him why he was without an escort and Jasper explained that he had behaved himself and that the other intern was helping the therapist with some last minute information he needed on another resident he was here to see, all the while hiding his arm, bandaged with a small plaster. Besides, the cameras were watching him. He remembered pointing to one in the ceiling.

Suspicious, Jasper was escorted to his room by the intern and locked in electronically.

But the intern failed to search him.

Once inside his room, Jasper quickly collected what he needed—what was necessary, but travelling light—dressed causally, and then left his room again by way of a near-by stairway using the dead intern's keycard and fob to exit the institution without being apprehended, quickly walking out to freedom. He then broke into a car, hot-wired it, and drove out of the parking lot, all the while thanking his dear-departed father for the skill-sets to allow him to set himself free.

Eight hours later, he found himself in the not-so-best-part of town. But even in this new world of Kira, there were still dreggy-places like this sortie hotel, where for enough money, you could get anything your heart desired, even welcome company, who were willing to do anything as long as the price was right. And after what he had stolen from the man he left dead in a back alley, he could afford to, with both gold and platinum charge cards, with virtually unlimited spending limits.

_Rich bastard_ , he thought. _But now I'm all the richer for it._

He lay in a hotel bed, sheets half-off, next to his sleeping company: a beautiful, and very willing, Japanese young prostitute, who had no reservations in engaging in every sexual act he inclined. It had been some time since he had had sex, ever since he raped that guy in the institution, and even then he wasn't satisfied. Some people thought sex was sex, with anyone, but they were wrong. It wasn't with whom you did it with, it was all about the quality. And with this female prostitute, it confirmed he enjoyed women more.

He scrolled through the dead therapist's phone with the dead man's SIM card, but found little or nothing that interested him, so he deleted all the contacts, and added one—the same number he dialled from the institution, and when he was finished, sent a text message, and hit SEND. A minute past, and then several return messages quickly popped up. He purposely sent messages in code, so only the receiver knew what they meant. Obviously, the person got them, and understood.

He told the person to meet him here, giving him the address.

Putting down the phone, he gave a slight glance to his company, then shuffled out of the bed, and walked to the window, bare. The day was just beginning to dawn and the sun crept over the horizon.

The prostitute moaned sheepishly, but remained sleeping, as he quickly got dressed in new clothes, grey slacks and a white shirt, that he had stolen from the man he had robbed and killed. Once the institution noticed he was missing, his attire would no doubt be marked. The clothes fit well, a little baggy, but he would get better clothes later, and more stylish to his personality. He liked black.

He readied himself for the things that were yet to come—namely his revenge on everyone who ruined his life. Light Yagami being his number one target.

A rapping came at the door, and he opened it.

On the other end, older than the last he remembered, stood his contact from the phone. He smiled a boyish grin, casting a quick glance over tinted sunglasses. His hair had a streak of white from front to back like a skunk—that was new, Jasper thought—and his clothes were dark, as if he liked to stay in the shadows. He had also put on a little muscle, but his faith in Christ still shone brightly with a crucifix dangling on a chocker collar. His friend was a firm believer in a god that oversaw heaven and earth, who punished the wicked and spiteful. But in this new era of Kira, Jasper wondered if his faith in that god was still relevant.

"Matt, good to see you again," Jasper said. "It's been awhile."

Matt put a finger to his lips. "Don't use my real name, J. You've been away too long. This is the age of Kira we live in. Those of us who live underground have adopted a new system of identification and have tried to erase our past lives, so Kira can't kill us. No one knows how Kira kills, but he needs a person's real name to do it; some supernatural thing. Call me Tristan now."

Jasper gave a smirk. "Are you and Isolde still together? Or did that fizzle out like the old Celtic legend?"

Tristan gave him an incredulous smirk. "Very funny," he said dryly. "No, she's waiting for us. It was best that only one of us came to collect you; Galileo's waiting there, too." Jasper expressed a little confusion. He took a moment to think, but then smiled when he recalled yet another one of his friends. "Did you have fun on your first day of freedom?" Tristan looked at the bed and at the beautiful whore half exposed sleeping on the bed. "Ah, she's a looker. Get what you need?"

"And more," Jasper said. "Are the police looking for me?"

Tristan nodded. "We better get going," he said.

"She can identify me."

"Yeah," Tristan said, his tone dejected, "too bad. I would've liked to pop her, too. But I came prepared."

He removed his sunglasses, and sticking one end into his shirt, he took out a thin pair of latex gloves from a pocket. With a gloved hand, he then took out a syringe, flicked off the cap, and pulled back the depressor.

Tristan went to the bed, slapped his free hand to her face—which woke her—and plunged the sharp needle deep into her chest, depressing it. Her eyes widened with shock, she then began to convulse and jerk, finally her head went limp. He replaced the cap and inserted the syringe back into his pocket.

Jasper was shocked. Her eyes, nose, and mouth began to bleed—she had died instantly. He snapped a look at Tristan.

"Galileo can explain it better," Tristan said. "But it's the medical equivalent of a heart attack and similar to air decompression. When she's looked at by a coroner, it'll be blamed on Kira. I pumped air into her heart, basically blowing her arteries. Like a heart attack."

Jasper was a little taken aback by the gruesomeness of the murder. It was a horrible and cruel way to die, but he knew no traces that he had been here had to remain. When they were leaving, anyone else who had seen him was eliminated in a similar fashion, taken aside and killed secretly. Tristan was thorough in every detail, and each death would be attributed back to Kira when investigated because they corresponded to his killing methods. They left through a back way.

Jasper got into a sidecar of a black motorcycle that was located in the back alley, and learned forward, helmet on. Tristan put on a helmet, revved up the bike, and then pulled out. Jasper let Tristan lead him through the streets blindly, but even though he hadn't see him in years, he trusted his friend implicitly.

Within fifteen minutes, they arrived and parked behind an average looking eatery called _The Angel D. Cafe_. Tristan explained it was a play on words: The Angel of Death (Kira) Cafe, a humorous tribute to the god of death. The name was not to praise Kira yet to mock him, but it did serve great food, and other services, which catered to the best the underworld had to offer. Despite Kira's presence, the underworld still thrived deep in the bowels of Japan's underbelly and primarily financed by the Yukaza.

Everyone engaged in criminal activity had to have an alias nowadays. Those who failed to go underground, or chose not to expunge their records in a timely fashion, was targeted by Kira and died—especially those already in prison.

Kira targeted prisoners all around the world—eliminating the worse the world had conjured. Then Kira went level-by-level, killing lesser criminals, but those with prominent profiles, although he did kill low-life criminals from time-to-time.

The media was all over the killings, and their rantings boomed when Kira made a high profile killing. There were even cults who worshipped Kira, and TV shows—even one called _Kira's Kingdom_ —begging Kira to continue to cleanse the world of all evil. Tristan got Jasper caught up-to-date on what was happening with Kira as they ventured the cafe.

Tristan waved at a man behind the counter serving a customer. Jasper looked around and everyone acted normal, no one caring and going about their lives, despite Jasper's picture flashing on a television screen up in the corner. This place seemed to cater to people like him and those who wanted to hide from authority. And the man Tristan waved at indicated a door to the right, obviously familiar with Tristan, letting him, and Jasper, just waltz right into the back without stopping them.

Jasper followed Tristan down a hall, and then to a door that looked like a back freezer. But when Tristan put a hand on the handle, twisted it down, and pulled back on the seemingly heavy framed door, behind it wasn't a freezer, but a secret, spiral staircase.  
"After you, my good man," Tristan said jokingly, and after Jasper got ahead of him, Tristan shut the door behind them, locked it, and suddenly a burst of illumination flooded Jasper's eyes, revealing the bedrock carved staircase, and it went deep down.

Tristan politely pushed ahead and lead the way. Jasper was immediately remained of Dante's Inferno, where the protagonist entered the bowels of Hell, and went through its many stages of horror. But after the initial shock of the rock staircase, it then switched to metal, and followed a more downward path with metallic steps to another door and a computer, alphanumeric keypad.

Tristan stopped short of entering a code.

He then gestured to Jasper. Jasper blinked confused.

Tristan smiled, then said: "You're an intelligent guy, J. I changed it just before I went to get you. Made it fun just for you. I'll give you a hint: It's a name from your favourite movie—six digits."

Jasper's eyes narrowed. He cocked his head and thought. Rocky, the all American classic, was his favourite movie, and the most famous name, other than the namesake, spoken, had six digits— _Adrian_.

He pressed in 237426, each number corresponding to a letter of a digital phone pad. The door hissed and unlocked, then a hidden panel opened in the door and a handle appeared. Tristan grabbed it and twisted it down, opening the mysterious door.

"Welcome to Sanctuary City, J," Tristan said, and beckoned Jasper through. "Where crime flows freely without the fear of Kira, and where people from every walk of life enjoy themselves, even cops, to partake what was once free to enjoy on the surface world."

As soon as Tristan opened the door, Jasper could detect the sounds and smells of a bustling city life, and it was set up much like a bazar with vendors as far as the eye could see, peddling their wares and services at wholesale, and ironically, criminal-low prices.

As they walked through the crowded underground vended streets, Jasper was impressed by its energy. Brightly lit, people offered everything from food to weapons. There seemed to be an underline respect among people, a criminal-code, that kept things civil. Of course, there was also security provided by the Yukaza, by way of "Suits", to make people behave. They didn't disguise themselves and stood out in the open, much like the American President secret service security, wearing ear-pieces and tinted glasses.

Tristan explained that this was but one entry point into this subterranean world, and there were three others in different parts of Japan, each were closely guarded secrets. It snaked on for kilometres, with different sections and different interests. And if any Kira spies were discovered, they were summarily dealt with and with extreme prejudice, and never seen again.

Waiting for them next to a fried chicken vendor was a nerdy-sort of looking male with average brown hair and octagonal glasses. In his hand was a non-descriptive paper container containing fried chicken chucks. He ate one with a toothpick and then smiled a full mouthy grin when he saw them both. Galileo had obviously been waiting for them. Jasper had been described as having a high IQ, but his old friend from childhood surpassed him by leap and bounds. There was no problem he couldn't solve. No wonder he took a name after the Italian astronomer who saw life beyond the stars. He was like the average science nerd at every high school.

Tristan and Galileo shook hands, but when he saw Jasper, Galileo embraced and hugged Jasper like a long lost brother. Jasper let him do it, although he didn't like being touched. But his old friend was different.

"I missed you, Jasper. It's been so long! When they took you away, I cried. The last I heard from you was six years ago when you broke out of that other place." He meant the child institution for the mentally insane, but he didn't say it. "I wanted to see you, but they refused visitors at your new place of residence. Rotten bastards!"

Galileo only reached up to Jasper's chin, but he had a big heart. Jasper padded his old friend on the head as if he was pet, and smiled at Tristan, happy to be reunited with his two closest friends. When the hug was broken, shared a smile with Galileo.

"I missed you, too…" He wanted to say his friend's real name, but caught himself just before, saying instead: "Galileo."

Galileo gave him a crooked smirk and adjusted his glasses. "Yeah, it sounds a bit weird to have to use aliases now," Galileo replied. "But with Kira, we no longer have a choice. For many, and from a theological point of view, Kira has basically stripped the world of its identity, and replaced it with an inferior carbon copy filled with paper straws and unhappy unicorns. In another respect, we don't have to worry being identified and killed by that supernatural, omnipresent narcissist."

Jasper smiled. His friend was never one to hold back. "Right. So, for now on call me J. It works." Both Tristan and Galileo nodded.  
After another twenty minutes of wandering around at Galileo's behest, getting breakfast, and watching Galileo buy things of interest and of want, anime being a top seller, Jasper then noticed that Galileo was carrying a satchel bag over his shoulder, when they moved into a less crowded session. He followed Galileo and Tristan down a long corridor, where a residential complex was set up, and then to a doorway that had a hand print reader and an optical retinal scan—that Galileo unlocked.

When Jasper heard a click, indicting the door was unlocked, Galileo said, "Welcome to my humble hideaway. Mind the cats."

Galileo opened the door and it was like walking into a prince's apartment. The rotunda concept was stunning to Jasper's eyes with a high ceiling with a picturesque feel. It was two levels, designed with two majestic stairways on either side leading up to a second level. Jasper thought it was redundant—one staircase would've been enough. But he didn't care.

"And this is just the foray," Galileo said. "Wait to see the rest of the place. All designed by me."

Galileo shut the door behind them. He then gave Jasper a tour with Tristan in tow. And he wasn't kidding about the cats. He had half a dozen wandering felines freely at home in the place.

He explained everything was paid for from favours he did for the Yukaza, helping them hack governmental systems and databases, police servers, and other law enforcement websites, so they could keep one-step ahead. And they paid well.

Through a centre hallway on the first level were three large suites with on-suite bathrooms, and fully decorated.

On the second level was a library, and a study, reserved for Galileo's work. The study was filled wall-to-wall with computers, servers, and other technology, and a large climbing cat house, where yet another cat slept. Galileo had been a cat person for as long as Jasper knew him. He said they helped him to do the "Devil's work".

Sitting at his desk in front of an open laptop sat Tristan's girlfriend Isolde.

She was more beautiful than Jasper remembered her to be. Gorgeous was the word, he would use. She had grown up and filled out in every way, with long, flowing brown hair. And he actually felt his temperature rise a degree thinking of her in seedy way.

Galileo gave her a stern look, storming over. "I've told you many times, Isolde, this is my private place," he said. "I don't want you fooling with things! Everything in here is very sensitive and needs to be processing at optimum efficiency for my clients."

If there was ever a more hateful stare a woman could give a man, Isolde now have it to Galileo, and that had him stopped in his tracks. She slammed a hand on Galileo's desk in a fit of anger. And yes, Jasper also remembered she had a bit of a temper. She hated people telling her what to do. It stemmed from an over-protected father who was sent to jail for fatally beating her mother.

She slammed the laptop shut and stood up. Galileo took a step back and gulped nervously.

Suddenly, all anger left her when she saw Jasper, and her eyes widened with sheer happiness. She pushed back Galileo, and rushed over, wrapping her arms around him, hugging him tight. Jasper gasped out a breath. He also recalled she had the strength of a mule, which was one of the reason's why Tristan loved her so much because she could grip him firmly where it most counted.

She let go, and apologized. "You need to get stronger, you feel like a twig," she said.

"Comes from eating horrible food, and they wouldn't let me have a drop of chocolate milk," Jasper replied, frowning.

"Well, the fridge is stocked with it, buddy," Tristan said. "I know it's your favourite."

Jasper smiled. "Thanks, can't wait. I'm glad things haven't changed between you two. You make a great couple."

Tristan and Isolde had been together since they were kids and lovers just the same. They didn't care about stigmas, or rules for that matter. Tristan had been living on the streets since he was nine after child services came for him, arresting his parents for child abuse. He ran away and made a living on the streets as a runner for drug dealers, meeting Isolde at one of his client locations—falling head-over-heels in love.

They met Jasper in passing, but eventually became good friends.

Galileo was similar. Brilliantly gifted at a young age, he decided to offer his computer expertise to people in need for his special skills. Galileo was instrumental in helping Jasper break out of the child mental institution when he was thirteen, but he'd known Galileo for longer, living next door to him in the same complex as Jasper's father. Jasper would often go over and play the latest downloaded video games. With everything Galileo knew and who he knew, he had become a millionaire at age eleven.

With everyone assembled, Galileo plopped down his bag on the desk and unzipped it. He took out four small cases and placed them side by side. "Now that we're all here, time to get things started," he said. Isolde and Tristan gave each other a curious look, then crossed the room and stood next to Galileo as if they had planned something in advance.

Jasper was the only one out of the loop. "What's going on?"

Galileo handed each Tristan and Isolde a box, which they opened. Galileo opened his own. They were cell phones, each different colour, but of the same android model. Isolde had white, Tristan had black, Galileo had a gold colour, and the other one was for Jasper. Galileo picked up the box and handed it to Jasper, who then took it, and opened it, to reveal a silver android phone.

Jasper looked at his confused. It was a model of phone he had never seen before, but it was just a phone.

Galileo looked at everyone in turn. He, Tristan and Isolde, all looked like they were on the same page. Jasper was still confused.

"The instructions are in the box," Galileo began. "You can each play with it at your leisure, adding your own personal touches, including a password. Each phone has been programmed with a distinct App fully installed and is already active. It can never be uninstalled. Part and parcel of the motherboard and the isolator chip, it is essential for its function. Without it, the phone freezes and the data is erased, do this if ever needed to avoid it falling into the wrong hands."

The phones were already active and Jasper double-tapped the main screen. The App in question was on the main screen and was distinct from the other Apps with a curative M at its centre.

Jasper looked at Galileo confused.

"It's all you need to speak with _him_ ," Galileo said, as if reading Jasper's mind by his expression.

" _Him_?" Jasper questioned. " _Him_ who?"

Just then, his phone sounded, connected to the App. It was from a PRIVATE CALLER.

Jasper looked at the others before answering it. "Hello? Who is this?" He didn't like surprises.

"Greetings, Jasper Yuta," came a young sounding voice, but it was not from a child. It had a tone of sophistication to it. "I'm happy to finally speak with you. I've heard so many good things about you. And it will be my honour to work with you."

_To be continued..._

 


	6. Bargain

Jasper looked at the others, then brought the phone out front to look at the screen. It still read: PRIVATE CALLER.

He returned it to his ear. "Who the fuck is this?" he said. "Is this the cops? Have I been set-up?"

There was a moment of silence, then the voice said: "That was quite rude, but knowing what I know, that is not to be unexpected. You just came out of a mental institution, you are bound to be frustrated and easily set off with suspicions. No, this not the police—put me on speaker phone. I wish to speak with the others, as well, with you all as a group. They know who I am."

He looked at the phone. A finger hovered above the speaker phone and the end call. He looked at the others, they didn't say a word. He selected the speaker phone regardless of his suspicions. "You're on speaker phone, whoever you are," Jasper said.

"Tristan, Isolde, Galileo—can you each hear me?" the voice asked.

"Yes, we can," Tristan answered. "We're all here. We haven't spoken to him about you yet."

"About what?" Jasper demanded. "What the hell is going on? And who is _this_ on the phone? I don't like being kept in the dark."

"Please settle down, Jasper—or shall I call you J? Everyone else has a pseudonym to avoid detection from Kira. So, let that be your name—as already decided." Jasper breathed in. There was no possible way this person would know to call him 'J'. It was only recently agreed upon. "No, there are no listening devices or cameras about. Let me explain further."

Suddenly, a white light appeared near the doorway of Galileo's study, and an image began to form of a person—a young boy, just over four feet tall, thirteen years old in appearance. He had white hair and his skin tone was fair. He wore Ancient Romanic clothes with a tunic. With it, a black belt wrapped around his waist with what looked like a book pouch and a white book. He also wore white fingerless gloves and had bare legs had roped sandals. To finish off the ensemble, was black collar wrapped around his neck with a dangling crucifix. The only thing he was missing were wings if this being was attempting to mimic an angel?

Jasper dropped the phone in shock. He never believed in ghosts, but one was standing here now. "What the fuck?"

"You humans have a limited vocabulary," the young ghost boy said. "The vulgar term you use can have many connations, but it's mainly used for profanity when another word cannot be found to convey expression. Please refrain from using it in my presence."

Jasper frowned, suddenly gaining courage. This ghost sounded just like the therapist he killed, so condescending and trite. He didn't like it. "I can use any word I chose," he confronted. "Now, as I said: Who the _fuck_ are you?"

Tristan stepped forward, hands up in capitulation. "Jasper, easy man, it's okay," he said. "There's things that need to be explained. Let me introduce Morph—he's not what you would call a Shinigami, but he's kind of like one. He's not a ghost, either. He came to us offering his services, for a price. We all agreed to the terms."

Jasper's eyes widened. "A Shinigami? You mean a god of death? What terms?"

"In exchange for my protection they have become my collective host," Morph explained. "Like most Shinigami, for lack of a better term, I need a host to remain in the corporal realm and to obtain form, taking on a similar form of my host. Other godly beings chose to take on other forms, taken from the minds of their hosts imagination. I know of one such ghastly being who looks much like a walking skeleton and one who has all the appearance of a clown. I have taken this form to appear non-threatening."

"So Morph…" Jasper reached behind his back, suddenly pulling out a gun. One he had snatched from a vendor when making his way through Sanctuary City, and it was fully loaded. "I take it then, if you're a Shinigami, and you can't die?"

Morph cocked his head. "That's correct," he said, sounding perturbed. "But if you must prove your theory, then shoot me."

Tristan tried to stop him, but Jasper fired his gun anyway. But the moment the bullet reached Morph, it stopped and hovered in mid-air. Morph plucked it from the air and then swallowed it, as if to prove a point. It fell through him and dropped to the floor. Jasper stood on the spot shocked. Tristan pushed the gun down.

"You see, I cannot die," Morph said.

Jasper softly pushed Tristan away. He suddenly felt at ease with the situation and returned the gun to his pants behind his back. It had all the feeling of surreality, that he was conversing with a ghost. But with the advent of Kira in the world, somehow, it didn't seem all that far-fetched—creatures like Morph existed, and were now walking with humans.

"So, what are you, Morph? Where did you come from? Are you and Kira the same?"

Morph laughed. "Never were two _beings_ different in so many ways," he said. "I come from a world beyond this one where a war broke out among the masses. Suffice it to say, I am the last of my kind. I work much like Kira, and I have a notebook." He took out the white book from his side pouch. "Unlike Kira, I don't kill people. I bring them back to life—with stipulations. And as long as your name is written in my Life Note, you are under my divine protection. So, if Kira decides to kill you, his powers will not work on you."

"Does this mean Kira uses some sort of Death Note to kill people by writing down their names in it?" Jasper laughed. "Oh, my, god! This is unbelievable! What kind of crazy place is this? The doctors at the mental institution must've given me an overdose, I must be hallucinating or dreaming. I've had some weird dreams in there, especially when I was in isolation."

Tristan tried to calm him. "Hey J, I know. It sounded crazy to me, too. Until he proved it to me. Give Morph a chance."

Suddenly, the gun that was tucked in Jasper's pants emerged, floating, and went into Morph's hands. Tristan looked at it, then he stood apart from Jasper. The gun was pointed at him. Tristan nodded, knowing what Morph had in mind. Jasper protested, but Morph fired, the bullet penetrated Tristan's chest, and he gasped, and jerked back, falling to the floor. Blood flowed from the wound.

"You son-of-a bitch!" Jasper said to Morph. Jasper ran to his friend and knelt down, he ripped open his shirt. Blood oozed from the bullet wound and flowed outward onto his skin. "Tristan, stay with me, man! Don't die!"

"Give it a moment," Morph said. "He is under my divine protection. He has made a pact with me, like the others. He cannot die."  
Seconds passed, then Tristan gasped, and inhaled deeply. His immediately reaction was to pat his chest where the bullet had entered. The stain of blood covered his chest and shirt, but when he lifted his hand, also covered with blood, he fingered the bullet between forefinger and thumb, and the wound in his chest began to seal. The blood remained.

"Damn, this was one of my favourite shirts," Tristan said. Jasper looked down at him, mouth agape. "You look shocked, buddy. Give us a kiss and make it all better," he then said jokingly.

"Jesus Christ!" Jasper voiced, pushing away. He fell on his butt. "This is for real, isn't it? I'm not dreaming! Oh, god!" Tristan got to his feet. Isolde gave him a cloth to wipe away the blood from his chest. She didn't appear shocked in the slightest. Morph had just shot her boyfriend at point blank range and she reacted as if it was nothing.

Morph handed the gun to Tristan. "See, J. Morph could shoot anyone one of us in the same manner and the same thing would happen. Well, any of us three. If I shot you like that, you'd be dead."

Tristan suddenly pointed the gun at Jasper. "Hey, that's not funny, Matt," he said, using his friends real name. Tristan smirked, then lowered the gun. He then extended a hand and hauled Jasper to his feet.

"You okay, J? You look like you just saw a ghost."

Jasper frowned. "Not funny, I need a minute to process this." But he didn't need a full minute. "Okay," he said, turning to Morph. "What is it that you want from me?"

"Want and need are two entirely different things. What I want is for you accept that I exist and what I need is for you become another anchor for me to remain in this realm. The more anchors I have, the stronger I am." Morph showed Jasper his Life Note with each one of his friend's names written in it—their real and full names. "Accept my offer, and you will be protected by me from harm."

"What's the catch? You protect us. But what do you get? Other than our anchorage to this realm, there has to be more to it?"

"Well, yes. I get a piece of your soul—your essence, to add to my own. A very small piece. Call it sustenance for my survival." Morph then produced a large smile. "In further exchange, I'll also help you get your revenge upon a certain someone, the very boy who ruined your life—and who caused the death of your father."

This immediately grabbed Jasper's attention and his face darkened. "Light Yagami didn't kill my father, but he was instrumental in putting him away. Kira is the one who later killed him. My father committed suicide in his cell, he hanged himself."

Morph chuckled to himself as if what Jasper had said was humorous. "Would it be a shock to tell you that Kira isn't the godly being that everyone pegs him out to be? What if I were to say, he's human just like you?" Jasper looked at the others, and they nodded in turn as if to confirm Morph's statement. Jasper looked back. "How?" Morph said, as if plunking the question from Jasper's mind. "As I said, Kira uses a Death Note to make his killings. But the Death Note belongs to a Shinigami—Ryuk, is his name. As for Kira, let's just say, the person who helped put you in a mental institution and supernatural being known as Kira are one and same."

x x x

During a round table discussion, the Kira Task Force gathered around the sitting lounge area in the main surveillance room to discuss the Jasper Yuta situation early the next morning. Light had settled down and was more composed since having the nightmare about Jasper Yuta the previous night.

But L wasn't with them choosing to sit by himself at a far computer station conducting his own research. He said since it has nothing to do with the Kira Case, he didn't want anything to do with it. It was mere distraction from their main goal: to catch Kira.

Light was given some reprieve from being chained up and was allowed to sit free with the rest of the Task Force on a couch, but he was watched, and Watari, who was in another room, was keeping a very close eye on every move Light made.

Soichiro Yagami was pleased that L had released his son. It was a sign that Ryuzaki was beginning to believe that Light wasn't Kira.  
It was also a step in the right direction to cleaning Light's name, but he knew Light wasn't out of the woods yet.

Soichiro Yagami had some papers in his hand, and said, "I still have friends at the NPA, and they've informed me that an APB, an All-Points Bulletin, is out for Jasper Yuta. Investigators have reviewed video footage inside the mental institution and they are intrigued how he was able to sneak past everyone after murdering a therapist, an intern, to then steal a car, and leave the property unnoticed. An interview with an intern working there gave little detail on how Jasper fled."

"Any ideas on where Jasper may be hiding?" Matsuda wondered, holding physical police reports in his hand. But there was nothing in them that weren't already digitalized. "From what we know, the police have already visited all his old haunting spots: where he lived, the old slaughter house his father was arrested in, other places of note in the reports, but have come up empty. They also have little on locating known associates from Jasper's past. There's nothing new for us to truly look at."

Mogi was the most prominent information expert gathering in the group, but he found nothing new.

"Its safe to say, you don't need to look for him. He'll find you." This came from Ryuzaki. The Task Force looked over to him, his back was turned to him as he crouched on a chair looking at a computer screen. Obviously he was listening to the conversion. He swung around. "Revenge is a funny thing. It drives people is ways you couldn't image. It's almost OCD in nature. Take Kira, for instance…"  
"We get it, Ryuzaki," Light said. "But we're discussing Jasper Yuta at the moment, not Kira."

L frowned momentarily, pouting. "Yes, well, I wanted to make a point. Kira kills with a child-like sense of justice, or so he did. This new Kira—this Third Kira, as I call him—is another creature all together, killing people of business. But I digress.

"Events in a person's past drive them to do crazy things in the future, building a hidden network within the psyche that the conscious mind is unaware. Kira thinks the world is a rotten place, but is that reason enough to kill hundreds of people? If you ask a psychopath, then yes would be his answer, because he would see the world in much different light." Ryuzaki smirked thin.

"In the case of Jasper Yuta, it's almost a foregone conclusion that he will seek revenge upon you, Light, for helping incarcerating him, and the death of his father. He won't differentiate between you and Kira's judgement upon his father. The two will coincide, melding you both as one. It's a classic class of Associative Disorder. This not only puts you in danger, but also makes you a liability."

Light opened his mouth to say something, but his father spoke up first. "That's not fair, Ryuzaki," he said.

"That's true, but due to Light's current situation, I think it is safe to say he'll be safe with three police officers around him at all times. And I'm not too shabby in defensive tactics myself. Light could attest to that when I kicked Light in the face."

Light subconsciously felt his chin. "And that really hurt, Ryuzaki."

"So did your right cross," L replied. "I'm tougher than I look, so just be mindful of that the next time you want to take swing at me."  
L rolled his chair over, suddenly interested in the discussion. Perhaps it was the comparison between Jasper and Kira that got him to get involved, and if talk of Jasper would bring any insight into the Kira Case?

L continued. "As for the Yagami family, a police surveillance detail has been put in place as a curtesy by the NPA to watch their home, just in case Jasper Yuta tries anything like attempt to take your mother or sister hostage like he did Light on a prior occasion. It's scary how much of people's lives are on the internet and how easily information can be obtained with a simple engine search."

L mused for a moment, then muttered to himself under his breath, as if reasoning out his thoughts.

"If I were in charge of this case, and if I had full autonomy of the investigation, which I don't, I wouldn't rely solely on one piece of information regarding Jasper Yuta," L said. "There are often things that are omitted in police reports for security reasons. The public has a right to know about things under the guise of public safety, so I would venture speaking to the staff at the mental institution to get a more in-depth analysis of its day-to-day operations and how Jasper faired over the last four and half years—but that's just me."

"That sounds good, a paper profile can he monotone in detail, contain straight facts only, and be unbiased," Light said. "Speaking with people who have been interacting with Jasper, I think, is the best way to get to know him, as he is today, and what his next move could be, and where/who he might strike. He's bound to have allies, people who are willing to help him. But I doubt the police would allow us to do that." Light then ruffled through some papers that were on the table in front of him on the couch where he sat. "I seem to recall the last time he broke out of that child/juvenile institution that there was talk of an accomplice—an old friend."

Light found what he looking for, and read a paragraph that described video footage of a dark stranger captured outside the child institution. When Jasper escaped, at age thirteen, it was in the middle of the night. As described, Jasper and the mysterious ally were of the same height and build—possibly a teenager the same age.

Soichiro Yagami spoke up. "Leave it to me," he said. "I've been making weekly calls to the institution, saying it's for police business, keeping tabs on Jasper's daily affairs, speaking with some of the staff—for your sake, Light. I wanted to make sure Jasper stayed there and you remained safe. Most recently, I spoke to an intern who told me Jasper was currently in a therapy session. Unfortunately, I believe this is when Jasper was in the process of planning his escape. Because soon afterwards, they found both the therapist and another intern stabbed to death with the same pen and their personal items stolen."

"And though unrelated, but I'm not so sure," L began. "Just recently, police found a man with a broken neck, half-naked, and stuffed in a dumpster in a back alley in a rough part of the city. It was briefly on the news. Most of his clothes were taken and his personal items, including his cell phone, were stolen. They tracked use of his credit cards to a hotel, where they found them thrown discarded, and a dead prostitute, seemingly injected with air in her heart—made to look like a heart attack. They also found two more people dead by the same method. Kira is being blamed. But, seeing I have connections, I know the real details that the media are omitting or embellishing on—more victims of Kira's judgement. It's unsure Jasper killed these people or he had an accomplice?"

It was two hours later when Soichiro Yagami returned from his visit to the mental institution that was once Jasper's residency.

As he had already established he was a cop, there was no reluctance in providing him additional information the police supposedly requested, including a copy of sketch book that belonged to Jasper with multiple pictures of at the same young boy inside.

When he showed them to the rest of the Task Force, there was absolutely no doubt Jasper was still obsessed with Light.

_To be continued..._

 


	7. Direct Challenge

He couldn't believe it, his friends Isolde and Tristan were parents to a three and half year old boy named Braydon.

After he was introduced to Morph, a deity at odds with Kira, he was introduced to his friend's son, who had been sleeping until recently in Tristan and Isolde's bedroom. They lived in Galileo's lavish apartment with him.

Galileo was busy in his study working on a project for one of his clients, while the three of them were now in the entertainment room.  
Braydon was colouring a picture and watching cartoons. Isolde thought Braydon was too young to watch any of Galileo's anime, since they mostly consisted of characters in sword play or supernatural undertakings, with partial nudity, and adult themes, so standard cartoons were the norm.

Jasper sat on a couch, with a tall, half drunk glass of chocolate milk on a table next to him. He didn't ask for it, but he got a bendy-straw with the drink. Braydon asked for one with his chocolate milk, so Jasper got one, too. But he didn't mind. And Tristan was not kidding when he said the fridge was stocked with chocolate milk. Jasper actually laughed when he saw it.

Braydon lay on his stomach drawing on the floor close by. He was using crayons to colour in a picture of fire truck and he was using more than just red. Jasper was busy with his own project, sketching in a new book, since he had left his old sketch book at the institution and wanted to begin a new one.

Tristan offered to go out and buy things Jasper needed. But what Jasper asked for in the way of equipment couldn't be found in the underground city dwelling of vendors of Sanctuary City, so Tristan had to go topside. He got everything from a local arts shop.

Isolde had been at her personal laptop on a social network page when he began his sketch, she then ventured over. She stood over him and glanced down at the beautiful sketch in pencil of a handsome young man, Jasper's age. It was not a self-portrait, but it was obviously someone Jasper knew. From his perspective, Jasper drew the unknown teen with a dark and mysterious expression.

She leaned in further. "Interesting form— _Expressionism_ , is it?" He nodded, fully engrossed in his sketch. "Is that Light Yagami?" He nodded again. He had shown everyone Light Yagami's picture from the internet.

Jasper saw Braydon get to his feet out of the corner of his eye, wobble a little, and then make his way over to the couch. He quickly turned the page of his sketch book to a more appropriate drawing that was kid friendly. He had prepared one just in case.

"Hi, little man," Jasper said in a friendly tone. "Have you finished colouring?"

Braydon smiled and nodded. "Mommy said you're good at drawing, I wanted to see yours." Jasper smiled, and then showed Braydon a picture of an anime character—one he knew from his own childhood: _Pokemon Pikachu_. He had sketched it in pencil and then added a few touches of yellow to it to identify its character. "That's good! I wish I could draw like you."

Jasper ruffled Braydon's angel-blonde hair. "I'm sure you'll be an excellent artist one day. You already show promise."

Braydon smiled and ran back to his picture, plopped back down, and started colouring more. Jasper and Isolde shared a smile.

Just then, Tristan peaked his head into the room, looked around, as not to disturb his son, and gave a cock of his head for Jasper to join him out in the hall. Jasper gave his sketch book to Isolde who remained in the room while he went outside. Outside, Tristan, who had been elsewhere doing something, after he picked up Jasper's art supplies, gave him a folded piece of paper.

Morph appeared spontaneously.

Jasper gave a jerk of surprise, but he was starting to become accustomed to the boy's sudden appearances out of nowhere like a phantasm and it didn't bother him much now. In truth, Morph was almost two thousand years old, but looked thirteen.

"We found Light Yagami," Tristan said proudly. Jasper opened the paper, there was an address on it. "It took some digging, but I managed to call in some favours and found out Yagami is hold up in a business building that's secretly the Kira Task Force HQ. Why he's there, I couldn't get an answer to that. But apparently he'd helping L—the detective asked to hunt down Kira."

Jasper gave him a strange look. "Wait— _what?_ But I thought Light Yagami _is_ Kira?"

"Hmph," Morph expressed. "Unless he's lost the power and his memories have been erased?" Before Jasper asked him to explain, Morph continued, "You see, when I person picks up a Death Note and uses it, they obtain the power of a god of death. Once a name is written down, that person has forty-seconds left to live, unless the method of their death is manipulated to occur later…I'll explain that later. If a person loses the power, and loses possession of a Death Note, then their memories are erased of its existence, the god of death, and all killings they've committed. If Light Yagami is not in possession of a Death Note at the moment, then someone else has stepped in and is killing criminals, and other people, under the guise of Kira. I don't know who, yet. I'll have to find out more information. But that should be easy enough." Morphed mused for a moment. "Or maybe, he's purposely given up the Death Note to avoid getting caught? Perhaps L had gotten too close? If so, then he would retrieve it at a later date when things cooled down." Morph smiled admirably. "If that's the case, then Light Yagami is a crafty one, and he should not be underestimated."

Jasper mused. "So, he's helping L look for Kira unaware that he was once Kira? His memories erased of all events?" Jasper paused. "That is what you just said?" Morph nodded. "Light will have no memory of murdering my father, either. How insulting!" He slammed the wall with the side of his fist. "He thinks he can get away with it just because he can't remember? No, I won't let him off that easily. I know the truth now. And before I kill him, I'll make him remember what he did. And beg for mercy!"

"The only way for that to happen is if Light Yagami touches a Death Note," Morph said. "And even so, if he's not in full possession, and let's go, all his memories will be lost again. Unless a person is the owner of a Death Note, they don't retain their memories."

Jasper mused. "Then we'll just have to get the Death Note back from this _other_ Kira. I'll kill its current possessor and then make Light Yagami touch it and make him its new owner. Then I'll face Kira head on." Jasper smiled a sinister grin. "I accepted your offer, Morph, so now he can't kill me. But I _can_ kill Light Yagami/Kira. After that, then I'll become possessor of a Death Note."

x x x

Despite countless resources at their deposal, and in collaboration with the NPA in regard to the Jasper Yuta case, Jasper was elusive. He appeared to go underground the moment he escaped from the mental institution, after murdering a Japanese businessman, stealing his possessions, and murdering a prostitute, among others, at a shady hotel.

There was only one conclusion, as far as L was concerned, Jasper had help.

Street surveillance cameras captured something of interest: one of Jasper's past known associates, coming out from an arts shop, carrying supplies. Matsuda had learned about this video from a contact in the NPA while investigating. And from what was learned with Soichiro Yagami's digging at the institution, Jasper Yuta liked to sketch.

L reviewed the surveillance video and printed out a picture of the young male. Now he had a recent picture of one of Jasper's friends. But he only had a first name: Matt, to go with the picture.

Things had taken a little twist. This now proved something the Task Force had been wondering about. Just recently, artist renderings of Light had been popping up on the internet in known Kira forums, but with no description or reason. Posters wondered who the person was, not the poster, but who the person in the rendering was. They critiqued the drawings as being very life like, with good form, but no one could provide a name until Light himself visited the forum and was shocked to see his picture in several threads.

It was a taunt. But now L could track who was posting them. It was Jasper Yuta, because the renderings matched that found in Jasper's sketch book left at the mental institution.

Unfortunately, the IP/DNS origin was masked with expertise, bouncing spastically. No service provider could tell the Task Force nor the NPA ,where it came from, either, and not even Light with his computer skills could find out.

They printed out each drawing and spread out half a dozen on the table in front of them in the lounge area just off the main computer setup situated in the main surveillance room.

Light leaned back in his seat and gazed concerned at one of the drawings. It was a rendering of him from a picture someone posted online of him from Toho University during the Entrance Ceremony. The likeness was so good that it was like Light was looking into himself—the eyes stared back him with a spookiness of a phantasm.

"This is bad," Matsuda said, also looking at a rendering. "It looks like Jasper's out for blood, he's taunting Light online."

"He must've known you'd eventually look at one of the most popular Kira website forums, Light," Ryuzaki said, "and posted these pictures there. I have to admit, they're quite good. Jasper Yuta has talent."

"Thanks, Ryuzaki. Nice to hear you complement a killer," Light said snidely.

L gave him a serious stare, crouched on his chair. "You know that's not what I meant," he replied.

"So, what do we do now?" Soichiro spoke up, stepping in before an another argument could break out. He knew Light and Ryuzaki had strong differences of opinions and they had come swinging with fists when things heated up. "Light has said there's chatter about the drawings online. We should go over the surveillance video of Jasper's friend from street cameras—maybe there's a clue?"

Matsuda perked up. "That's right," he said. "Just like that time you found the envelope missing at the subway station when we were watching the death of Ray Penber, Ryuzaki. We went over that video more than a dozen times, but only you found it."

"Who? I don't remember this Ray Penber?" Light said.

"He's the FBI agent who…" Matsuda began, but then L shook his head stopping him.

"I've already been over it several times," L then said about the "Matt" video. "Other than Jasper's past associate in the video, there's nothing more of value. And he disappears soon afterwards, off camera. The police are checking the area, but so far, they haven't found anything. Recent data has concluded that there is an underground community where crime is rampant, this coming from a spy for the NPA. So far, no access to the community has been located. But like I said, I don't think we'll have to go to him. Jasper will come to us. It's classic psychopathic behaviour. A person like Jasper feels they _must_ be front and centre to taunt their victims."

"Why would Jasper come to us?" Light said. "Revenge is one thing, but I don't take him as someone who would risk his own life just to take mine. He doesn't strike me as that kind of person. He's smarter than that."

"True, but—"

Ryuzaki's phone beeped. It was Watari. After hearing what he had to say, Ryuzaki went to the main computer and pressed a button. On the large computer screen, in the foray to the building, stood three individuals—one of whom was Jasper Yuta. One of the others was the same person who had been captured on surveillance video coming out from an art shop buying supplies, Matt.

The third individual with the glasses was unknown.

"I don't believe it!" Soichiro said with utmost shock, each member following L. "We should call the police."

L put up a hand. "No, we can handle this ourselves," he said. "We don't want to give our headquarters away to outsiders, although if they located it, it may not be a secret anymore." Communication with Watari was on an open comm channel now. L said, "Watari, you know what to do. Allow the building's defences to occupy them until we're ready to welcome them properly." Watari said Yes. After a scan, Watari also said they possessed no weapons. "This is obviously a direct challenge. How he found us is interesting…"

L then turned, and said: "Light, you and I need to have a little talk. When I looked on the forum where these pictures were found, I saw that someone had posted a reply to them, asking about the artist. You used a pseudonym, but obviously, someone tracked the IP address, and I assume it was one of them. You were careless and you unsuspectingly gave our location away. You fell for Jasper's trap. You compromised us. I said earlier that you were a liability and I was correct in that."

"I'm sorry, Ryuzaki…I just wanted to know where they originated from and by whom?"

L waved a hand to dismiss the mistake. "The damage is done," he said. "Now we have to deal with it."

"But why would they come here?" Matsuda asked. "It's dumb."

L eyed the trio on the screen. "I guess we'll find out," he contemplated. "But it may not be as _dumb_ as we think?"

_To be continued..._

 


	8. In Complete Control

Galileo viewed schematics of the building on a tablet he had brought with him installed with sophisticated hard/software for his desired needs. It was easy enough to find and download the plans to the building filed with city building management services, anything this big had to be approved by someone.

With everything he did for the Yukaza, a building like this was child's play. However, when he looked through the plans, there were hidden features that were not part of the original design when he scanned the interior, updating the plans on his tablet.

Morph had informed them that it was best to leave the person in connection with Kira's killings alone at present or risk inserting an unnecessary element into a larger picture. Jasper wanted a copy of the Death Note, but taking it from this Kira would prove counter-productive and Morph had a better idea. A Shinigami was attached to Kira and the less contact with it would prove warranted.

Jasper heeded to Morph's discretion. Morph informed them of something else he had in mind that everyone agreed upon. Some would think it as a dumb idea, but to Jasper, it was quite brilliant. A direct challenge was bold, but most efficient. Why wait?

Since L wanted Kira. Why not give the detective exactly what he wanted? But for a price!

That was why they were here—at the de facto Kira Task Force headquarters that was masked as an enterprise business building in the heart of downtown Konto. It was listed as an import/export firm that dealt with mainly overseas clients, some of the largest in Europe and China, according the Business Bureau.

Everything Galileo found was easily obtained, but fake, set up within a dummy corporation and affiliated with some unknown numbered business.

The lobby of the building was lavish, but had a cold feeling with a marble floor. A large mural hung on the left wall, while a widescreen TV, on low sound, showcased the enterprise's business profile and its workings in a thoughtful presentation.

Further on, centred, and in front of two elevators, was a round reception desk with a security guard sitting present. In Japanese style, the guard sat straight-backed with his eyes focused ahead, hands folded in front on the desk, wearing a pristine dark blue uniform and hat.

The trio approached the reception desk, earpieces wrapped around their ears for continuous communication between them.

Galileo shook his head and laughed short, then he pressed something on his tablet, and the holographic-type projected security guard disappeared. The projection beam was somewhere underneath the desk.

Tristan made an impressed grunt. "Very life like," he said.

Galileo agreed. "I was intrigued when I first hacked into the system. But now that I've by-passed the building's firewalls and got into its mainframe, I'm not impressed. It was so easy for someone with my skill. I can control everything within this building: security, elevator, lights, and…doors." He locked the front entrance.

Tristan looked up at a CCTV camera and gave it a middle finger. Jasper then pushed Tristan's hand down and told him not to make any hostile gestures. He didn't wish to antagonize anyone just yet.

Jasper looked at Galileo, who then nodded. Things had been pre-arranged before they entered the building. Despite the security checks, it was a breeze to get through them. Galileo touched his tablet and the surveillance camera became Jasper's own personal live-time camera with audio.

"You truly are a genius, Galileo," Jasper remarked to him, and Galileo smiled, adjusting his glasses humbly. Jasper looked up at the camera. "Greetings Kira Task Force, and yes, I know who you are, and the real purpose of this building. A wondrous piece of engineering and technology, but with my friend here, it's nothing but a plaything. I wish to speak to the detective known as L. I believe he'll want to hear what I have to say, and partake in the information that I possess. Passing it along to you on the internet would be so impersonal. I prefer the direct approach."

Moments passed. Jasper looked at Galileo. "They have the opportunity to respond through the building's intercom," he said, glancing at his tablet. "Everything is active in that respect."

"Silence, I expected this," Jasper said, "I thought so, but not for long. They need an incentive to talk." Jasper touched his earpiece. "Isolde, please be so inclined as to give them an example that we mean business…"

" _No problem,_ " came a voice over each of their earpieces.

x x x

The members of the Kira Task Force watched the screen of the trio. On another smaller screen of a laptop, Jasper's face was enlarged, and he was grinning as he gazed directly into the lens of the camera. His eyes looked like that of a coy animal.

Suddenly, there was a series of explosions, and shakings, that rocked the surveillance room, and some of the members had to brace themselves. They sounded so close, and felt like they taken place just outside the room, almost like they were under attack—that an assault team had penetrated the upper parts of the building unbeknownst to everyone.

Watari's voice came over an open frequency. "Ryuzaki!" his voice was a little too elevated than L liked, which indicated nervousness.

He explained that the Northside of the building had just been penetrated with explosive devices. The rooms above and below the surveillance room and its floor were targeted and destroyed with encapsulated devices designed to enter through the exterior glass, similar to cop-killer bullets that could penetrate through kevlar vests and from a high-powered rifle. He was unsure of the origin, but asserted they came from somewhere off-property and from an adjacent building. The Residency Floor had been hit.

Then a few more explosions were heard in a similar fashion, but more in the distance.

"That would be logical," L responded to Watari assumption calmly. "They seem to have in-depth knowledge of the building."

"That's an understatement," Light said. After the first series of explosions hit, he had lost his balance and fell on his butt. Now he was on his feet. "Even though I know this building, it wouldn't take much for an outsider to acquire the plans from the city."

On the main and laptop screens, Jasper spoke again, after the second series of detonations. "I hope I have made my intentions clear?" he said with a small smirk. "All lines of communication to the outside are nullified, so the police will not be coming to your rescue. However, as the explosions are concentrated within the building's deep interior, unless someone actually phones out—which you can't—no one from street level will know what is happening. I will instruct the attacks to continue unless you acquiesce to my demands."

L's eyes narrowed and he grunted under his breath. "This is quite annoying," he said quietly. His hand moved to the speaker microphone button in front of him and he pressed to answer. It had a built in device that would mask his real voice. He chose to respond, not to acquiesce, but for curiosity sake. "And what are your demands, Jasper Yuta and company?"

Jasper Yuta appeared pleased. "Ah, so you know who I am. Good, then introductions can be dispensed with. I'm sure, you being the detective that you are, you're already familiar with my history—the media have been profiling it for days. But you probably have a more embodied understanding of me, proactively seeking information from the mental institution, and having the police ask around my old neighbour. Yes, I've been watching you, much like you've been pursuing me—despite you mainly focused on catching Kira."

L didn't respond. But he was beginning to develop a more hardened mental profile of Jasper Yuta and he didn't like where this was going. Jasper wasn't a psychopath, but he was sociopathic. Often a person could be more dangerous that a serial killer with such a mental illness. But Jasper Yuta knew exactly what he was doing. He and Kira were similar, gathered from police profiles, but unlike Kira, Jasper Yuta was breed to think a certain way. Kira, on the other hand, appeared to have just had his power drop in his lap.

L gave Light a momentary glance, then turned back to the screen.

Jasper continued, "We are in complete control of this building, and before entering, incendiary devices were planted around the exterior, each with enough high-yield C4 to bring everything down like a controlled explosion—not unlike what happened on that fateful day in America."

L swallowed. He was a child in an orphanage in the U.K. when that happened, but the events of that day, what happened in New York City, when America was attacked by terrorist forces, where over three-thousand innocent lives were lost, was still fresh in people's minds. Like in Japan, with Hiroshima—never to be forgotten.

L silenced the communication line.

"Where the hell did he get this much firepower?" Soichiro Yagami wondered.

"From an underground market, presumingly," Light said. "There are rumours that there's a large community selling all kinds of illegal contraband and weapons under the city. The police have not been able to find a way in. They call it Sanctuary City. I've come across mentions of it in forums, that suddenly, the next moment, disappear. Similar to what criminals are doing with their profiles—creating aliases, so Kira can't kill them. It's become a problem for law enforcement and is supposedly well protected by the Yukaza."

"If they control the building, they could be telling the truth," Matsuda said. "Let's go down there and show him our strength!"

Everyone looked at Matsuda as he reached into his jacket pocket and came up empty. "Oh yeah, we're no longer cops," he said with an embarrassed smile. "Citizens can't carry guns according to Japanese law. I forgot."

Light grumbled angry. "That's what really pisses me off about that law," he said. "I know we don't live in what American's used to call the Wild West, where gunslingers rules the roost. But why is it only the bad guys get to usurp the law, while others fall victim to its bureaucracy? Sometimes it may be faster and safer to take out the bad guys before they do any further damage."

L gave Light a sideways glance. "Like Kira?"

Light cast his eyes aside, suddenly embarrassed by his outburst.

"Light, societies have laws for a reason," L said. "They are to protect their citizenry. Without order, there is chaos. Kira is an entity of his own making. If you wish to become a police officer like your father, then you're going to have to lose the bravado and take a smarter, calmer approach to situations. Use logic, not emotion."

"I understand that, Ryuzaki, but—"

"My patience is growing thin, L," Jasper's voice was heard. "Give me your answer. Adhere to my demands." He paused. "Give me Light Yagami. I know he is with you working on the Kira Case. It didn't take much effort to learn this. I want _him_. For the sake of thousands of other lives, one in exchange for the rest. Give me Light Yagami, and in exchange, I will tell you the real identity of Kira."

Soichiro Yagami gasped, then anger flowed across the older man's face. But L waved him off.

L pressed the button on his microphone to answer, there was no point in denying Light was with them. Jasper had already did his homework. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he said. "You have proven to us that you are on control of his building, but why should I hand over a member of my task force to you? Give me a reason."

Jasper's face cocked slightly, his face incredulous. "Really? Don't play dumb with me, L. You know exactly _why_ I want him. You're no doubt aware of our history. He has most likely told you about our encounters over the years. Unless…" Jasper looked to give pause. "Unless, he hasn't told you? Kept it from you? And in that case, allow me to give you some history."

L replied: "There's no need. I know everything: from your beginnings to your escape from the institution. I even know that you once tried to kill Light in his own home after escaping from a juvenile mental institution at age thirteen."

Jasper laughed. "Yes, and that was mainly thanks to Galileo's efforts," he said, he looked back at his friend with the glasses. Then turned back to the camera.  
L now knew who the shadowy help was in the video from way back when. Even back then, Jasper had strong allies.

"Don't be so quick to protect Light," Jasper than said. "He's not as innocent as you may think. You have him there under suspicion of knowing, or aiding and abiding Kira, like Misa Amane, the movie actress. But we both know there is more to the story."

L slammed the control box on the microphone silent with a quick finger.

He snapped his head to Light, who had a wide-eyed look of shock and befuddlement.

"How the hell does he know that?" Light said, each word spoken with a slower than normal variance.

L then looked at each task force member in turn. "I don't believe any of you would leak information, but somehow Jasper knows that Light has been detained under suspicion of what he inferred. Although he may not know the full story, he may be assuming things."

Soichiro spoke up. "Some of my contacts in the NPA have become aware that people are selling information about the Kira Case to those who are willing to pay handsomely and this information is getting back to the Yukaza," he said. "One officer has already been suspended for it and two more are under suspicion. If Jasper is that well connected, he may very know everything about us?"

"And _Kira's Kingdom_ , the stupid bias talk-show, has been offering rewards for information," Light chimed in. "There are _Shadows of Kira_ everywhere, they say; spies, willing to pay good money for descent information to relay back to Kira to enact his judgments. The NPA has warned them that doing this could get someone innocent killed. Misinformation has a way of killing a person's reputation on social media, accusing them of guilt before the truth comes out. It's already caused one person to take their own life."

L mused. He refused to allow anyone to infer anything without solid logical facts. He would not fall prey to the instantaneous belief of someone's guilt. As far as he was concerned, and from most recent events, Light's past was questionable regarding to the Kira Case and Kira's method of killing was still in question, but Light Yagami, right now, was a member of his task force.

He pressed the button of the microphone speaker. "Then you are misinformed," L said, in response to Jasper's accusation. "Light Yagami is good person" —he gave Light a thin smile— "and he'll be an excellent detective one day. I would be pleased to welcome him fully within this task force once…"

Jasper Yuta laughed, as if finding L's words very amusing. In fact, he laughed a bit too much for L's liking. What did he find funny?

"Then, you're not the great detective people peg you to be, you are a fool," Jasper said. "Suffice it to say, surrender Light Yagami to me, or I'll have my shooter begin targeting people at random on the street. I can also lay waste to this building and the immediate surrounding area, when it comes crashing down. We'll be safe, but you'll be locked inside. All the codes to your doors have been changed." Jasper smirked. "Ironic, isn't it? That which protects us, can also condemn us. You have no escape. But…allow me to provide you with yet another example of our influence of power."

Suddenly, the lights went out in surveillance room. And everything went completely black.

_To be continued..._

 


	9. Ready To Bargain?

Five lights brightened the darkness of the surveillance room, each one coming from a Task Force member's cell phone. But, as Jasper Yuta had said, there was no cell reception for them to call out. And not only that, but each one of their phones were blocked from the established building network, even the emergency option—which L thought wasn't possible.

Jasper and his gang had thought about everything thoroughly before making their assault on the building. And now L had to make a decision: Give Light to Jasper, or risk innocent people's lives, threatened by Jasper.

Logically, one life was not worth a thousand. But the minute he took the Kira Case and learned about the possible existence of Shinigami, fact, as he knew it, was dissuaded from plausibility.

L took in two factors: Fact and Plausibility and wagered them against the other.

_Fact_ : Light was indirectly responsible for Jasper Yuta and his father in being incarcerated.

_Plausibility_ : Light was Kira.

_Fact_ : Light couldn't remember anything regarding Kira's crimes.

_Plausibility_ : Jasper Yuta claimed to know the identity of Kira.

If Jasper had this knowledge, he could save thousands of potential lives, which, the courts, may then, absolve him of past crimes, and issue him a pardon. He would be a hero. The police would ask where he came about this information before going after Kira, so they didn't accuse any innocent man. Through his contacts, Jasper Yuta could easily provide that information.

So, coming here, was not such a dumb idea as Matsuda thought. It was quite brilliant.

But that's if Jasper had the information L needed to close the Kira Case? Or maybe he just wanted to manipulate things and throw hypothetical facts at L for Jasper to get his hands on Light? But how did Jasper know that both Light and Misa Amane were under suspicion regarding Kira's crimes? That was not given out to the public. Unless, it was indeed, another police leak?

For some reason, L didn't think so, and as he stared at the illuminance of his cell phone lost in thought, he seriously thought about handing over Light to Jasper to apprehended the Third Kira. If L knew how Kira killed, then he could backtrack Kira's crimes, and prove his original hypothesis: that Light Yagami was indeed Kira and that he willfully murdered hundreds of people.

However he was doing it, and now playing the part of a by-stander wrapped up in this serial murder investigation, while secretly biding his time to eliminate everyone, trying to prove his innocence at the same time, as the true mark of a psychopath.

L's mind went around in circles, and he sighed heavily. He seriously didn't know what to think anymore. He had never dealt with anything like the Kira Case before and Jasper Yuta was nothing like _Beyond Birthday_ —in the Los Angeles BB Murder Case. This was more simple. Jasper Yuta wanted revenge, he didn't want to take on L to be the best criminal ever. Jasper Yuta was vastly intelligent and had friends the help him while Beyond Birthday played it alone. But as they say: There is strength in numbers.

He saw some light underneath a door near an adjacent hallway. The door would be electronically locked, but now he knew that the surveillance room was the sole target of the blackout.

It was an intimidation factor to say: _We are in complete control and there's not a damn thing you can do about it!_

But where was Watari? He was supposed to be in the main systems room monitoring everything. Perhaps he had been locked out as well and was now blind and trapped in the room?

Suddenly a text popped up on L's phone. He wondered how they got his private number? But then he thought, did he really have to ask if they hacked the building? Getting a private phone number would be easy for them.

It said: _Ready to Bargain?_

Matsuda just happened to be standing next to him when the lights went out, now he looked over his shoulder and saw the message. "This guy really means business, doesn't he?" he said.

L groaned annoyed, not with Matsuda but with the situation. "Yes, he does," he said. "And I don't like feeling powerless." He shut his phone off without answering. That was his answer, per se.

Just then, the sound of gas began to sift into the room through the ventilation system, and he began to hear the others suddenly drop to the floor with thuds. It was a defence mechanism, a combination of carisoprodol and cyclobenzaprine with minute traces of chloroform (knock out gas), that L had wanted installed just in case he needed it. Now, he wish he hadn't suggested it.

He dropped. And the last thing he saw was his phone switching on by itself, and a text message that read: _Wrong decision, L._

When each of them began to awaken, he found himself one of the first to emerge from a forceable induced slumber, an unknown time period had passed, but L figured it had only been roughly thirty minutes, for that was the time reference of the gas effect. It gave others enough time to secure the situation while not having to deal with those affected.

They were all in the main surveillance room handcuffed with their hands behind their back with the lights now back on. And all three of their captors were present, including—L figured her name was from a previous mention—a young woman with the alias: _Isolde_.

As his mind was coming of the fog of unconsciousness, he also thought he heard the name Tristan being mentioned. It seemed the only person who was using his real name was Jasper.

The other three were using pseudonyms most likely in fear of Kira. Two based on literally characters and one based off the Italian astronomer. L chose his moniker for the same reason, but it also poised a different secret. And it was not based on the word Law.

The quartet of criminals stood over the Kira Task Force like gods over men each wielding a gun. Isolde was holding a rifle. She no doubt was the one who fired the capsulated explosive devices through the exterior windows from a building across the street.

L looked around, then noticed one of their number was missing. Siochiro Yagami was just coming to and had not noticed yet.

"Where's Light?" L demanded. "What have you done with him?"

Jasper crouched down in front of him, gun in hand. "Well, the great detective known as L," he said. "The others I know from their profiles. You, I have no dossier on. So, logic dictates you are he that no one sees. The one that hides in the shadows. A pleasure to finally met you. Oddly enough, you look very similar to what I imagined you to be—a subdued raccoon; arrogance aside."

L frowned. It wasn't the first time someone had said that to him. He knew he often had bags under his eyes from a lack of sleep and raccoons were known to be nocturnal animals.

"And you my friend, if we are comparing each other to animals, look like…" He then shook his head. "No, I will not stoop to your level of mockery." But he thought of the word: monkey.

Jasper laughed. "Well, you've just earned my respect," he said, standing up. "As for Light Yagami, he's fine for now. We put him somewhere I can speak with him in private. But, when I get through with him. Light Yagami will never be the same again!"

x x x

Light awoke groggy. He felt disconnected and confused as he turned on his right side.

He was laying on the floor in what he thought was the small entertainment suite, basically a video room, where he and Misa once watched a black and white movie together to research for one of her roles. She said that her director said she needed to review how the characters reacted during a certain scene, because in her movie script, she and her co-star were to act the same way. But throughout the movie, she kept getting a little too close for comfort as they sat on the two-seater couch, and he couldn't enjoy it.

The room in question was three floors down from the main surveillance room—but why was he here? And how did he get here?

The last thing he remembered was he and the rest of the task force members were in the dark after Jasper had cut the power. Then, he felt sleepy, and collapsed to the floor. Knock out gas through the ventilation system, he wagered.

He tried to sit up. Then found his arms were handcuffed behind his back. He struggled agains the cuffs, but to no avail.

The door opened, and he craned his head slightly, rotating his body over on his left side.

Jasper and one other male came in—Galileo, Light thought his name was. The one who had been holding the tablet, and who had disabled the entire building's systems. They both had guns. Galileo carried his tablet.

Jasper approached, and then crouched down in front of Light. His cocked his head and balanced the gun in is hand just above Light's face. Light looked at it, then at Jasper.

Jasper then lifted the gun and scratched an itch on his right temple with the barrel, then said, "Hello Light, long time no see. How have you been? It's been much, much too long, since we last met. Say, six years, give or take a few months."

"Jasper! What's the meaning of this?"

"Don't be so dense, Light. This is history repeating itself, just like that time I took you hostage in your own home. Oh, and moving was useless. I know exactly where your family is. You can't hide from the internet."

Jasper stood up, and then Galileo stepped forward.

Galileo had reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box that looked like an old metal cigarette case and opened it for Jasper. Inside was a small torn piece of scrap paper settled on a blanket of soft cloth. Next to it was a pair of metal tweezers.

Jasper picked up the scrap of paper with the tweezers, then showed it to Light. "None of us have touched this," he said. "However, if you touch it, weird things will happen. And I'm excited to know _what_ things."

"What is it? Looks like a simple scrap of torn paper?"

"Oh, but this is special paper from a book that someone gave me _just for you_." Jasper gave Light a moment to examine it up close for a moment from his laying position, turning it back and forth. There was no writing on it. "Now, here's what's going to happen. I want you to grip this in a hand when I place it there. If you don't, then I'll shoot you. Then, I'll shoot your father, held with the rest of the Kira Task Force members in the main surveillance room at gun point by my friends. Then, I'll go after your mother and sister."

Light struggled against his handcuffs. "Let me go. If you want a fight, I'll give you one!" Jasper kicked Light with a foot in the stomach to settle him. Light coughed. "What's on that scrap of paper, a poison? Do you plan on making me die slowly and painfully?"

"No, this is much more intensive. But first: What do you remember of my father's case when he was caught?"

Light looked up into Jasper's intense eyes as he gazed down. "I was told I had repressed memories of everything. But then, a dream triggered things to come flooding back. Your father almost killed me like he did those other kids. He was known as the Child Butcher of Japan and for good reason. As for you, you're mentally ill like your father. You should be in a mental institution."

This triggered laughter from Jasper. "They tried to hold me, but I was too smart for them," he said. "Everyday, I schemed to get out. Then an opportunity arose. For six years, I dreamt of the moment where I was face you again, and get my revenge for what you did. And now, I find out you had an even bigger role in events than surmised. Much larger than I had originally thought."

Light was confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about?"

"Of course you don't, but you soon will. And this is what this scrap piece of paper will do—like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. And once I put it into place, then the whole picture will emerge clear as day. Once you're 'enlightened', only then will I kill you."

Light blinked. "I still don't know what you're talking about and how will a piece of paper do that? I know what you did, and I know that your father is dead. He hung himself in his cell. Kira killed him. You should be angry with him, not me. I did nothing to you to warrant this hatred towards me. You're sick in the head, Jasper. Just surrender and we can get you the help you need."

Jasper frowned. "You insult me and my father!" He grabbed Light, twisted him around, his back faced to him, and took his hand. He dropped the scrap of paper in Light's had and squeezed it shut tight. "Remember, Light! Remember it all! I want to look into the eyes of the killer who murdered my father. I want to talk with him. I know about the Death Note and I know you are Kira!"

"No, I'm not—"

It happened like a boom inside his brain the moment the scrap of paper fully touched Light's skin, his hand clutched tightly around it with Jasper's help. All the memories of the Death Note suddenly flooded back like a car crash. The memories stabbed his mind like pricks of light to his eyes, stinging, hurting, but eventually filling in gaps in his memory like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. They floated to his consciousness and his ever willful thoughts. Indeed, the scrap of the Death Note was the missing piece to the puzzle of his mind.

Within moments, he felt like his mind had been shattered like broken glass but then reconfigured into something stronger and more viable. Everything he once knew to be true was quickly replaced with a new truth and something he _truly_ believed in. Something that had once been lost, but now rediscovered after a suitable absence.

All the written names, all the deaths, all the encounters, even Ray Penber, the deaths of the FBI agents, moments with L, events with Misa Amane, and the moment he relinquished the Death Note to Ryuk after he had ben captured by L, sitting in that cell.  
Everything came back to him in what seemed like a flash.

Light let out a loud audible gasp, but then momentarily blacked. Seconds later, he reawakened, and a new him emerged. It had been as easy as turning on a light switch.

Kira had returned. And Light gripped the scrap of the Death Note tightly in his hand without Jasper's help. He'd never let it go.  
It began with a small muffled chuckle, then Light laughed out loud.

To Jasper, it must have looked like he had gone insane. While, in truth, the real reason was beyond his comprehension. The moment Light touched the Death Note, everything he had ever done as Kira came back to him.

As Light looked upon him, Jasper was seen taking an involuntary step back.

Light smiled, almost sinisterly. "Hello Jasper, long time no see," he said, repeating the same greeting Jasper had said to him. His mind finally clear, no longer blanketed with a fog of amnesia, he further said: "It's been so long, much, much too long, and I thank you, and I owe you a debt of gratitude for releasing me from my self-imposed prison."

_To be continued..._

 


	10. The Return of Kira

Jasper took a step back. Something about Light emanated an aura of pure evil. He didn't know how he felt it, but it seemed to flow off Light like waves of heat. And as Light looked at him, he thought the devil was staring straight back at him.

Galileo also shared a similar gaze. "Um, J, is this the same guy? What does he mean by self-imposed prison?"

Light snapped a look at Galileo. "How obtuse, I wasn't speaking to you," he said, as if to reprimand a lesser. "You have done your job, now you can leave us. This is a moment to be shared by myself and Jasper Yuta."

Galileo grumped angrily, but Jasper calmed him. "He stays here," Jasper said to Light. "I never expected the Death Note to work so well," he then said. "When I was told it restores all the memories back to a user even without ownership, I had my doubts. But it appears like everything is true. Light Yagami is Kira."

Light sat up straight, then crossed his legs. "That is true. But how do _you_ know about the Death Note? Did Ryuk come back? Or, are you the new Death Note's owner Rem has chosen to enact Kira's justice?" Light then shook his head. "No, the timing's off. You didn't escape the mental institution until after my surrogate began killing with the Death Note. Then how did you get a piece of it? Other than myself, Ryuk, and Rem, no one else knows where I buried my original Death Note."

"Jasper, this guy's really creeping me out," Galileo said. "Let's just kill him and get the hell out of here."

Light's eyes glowered and he smiled in amusement. "Executing me will be folly, for my justice is warranted all around the world. My ideals hold self-evident to what people have been longing for a very long time. Crime has run rampant in the world, it's rotten to its core. I was given a gift, and I vowed to use it to its fullest. Be careful, I now possess a scrap of a Death Note, albeit not my own, but that doesn't matter, and once I learn your name, your name will be written down for your impertinence. Whereas the Shinigami who owns this scrap of paper, within a stated time, _must_ come to my side as per the rules of the Death Note."

"You're one arrogant son-of-a-bitch, Light," Jasper voiced. "Is this what the Death Note does to people who use it? Changes their personality to the god of death who once owned it? Are you possessed by the spirit of a Shinigami?"

Light cocked his head in thought. "That's a very interesting question and I have thought about it, but Ryuk explained it to me, and that that's not the case. Everything I did was of my own free will."

Light quickly explained who Ryuk was and that he was the Shinigami who dropped his Death Note in the Human World to started the reign of Kira. Ryuk said he was bored. Rem once aligned with Misa Amane, he further revealed.

Light then looked at Galileo, and said, "As for your question earlier, I purposely allowed myself to be captured. I then relinquished ownership of the Death Note when L was getting too close. I set things up beforehand, so I could later retrieve the Death Note and regain my memories while pretending to befriend L and work on the Kira Case, knowing that it will be passed on to another. The issue with that was, I would have to kill the current owner of the Death Note to retain ownership. If I let go of this scrap of the Death Note, then my memories disappear. You released me from my self-imposed prison, and for that, I thank you once again."

"Yes, we know this rule," Jasper said. "But when I gave you that scrap, I didn't know you'd be such an asshole."

"Who told you about the Death Note and how did you get this piece? I'm curious to know."

"We'll keep that to ourselves right now."

"Very well. Now whose the arrogant one?"

Jasper shoved Light down with his foot. Light fell back, but he kept a firm grip on the Death Note. Light laughed, amused. To Jasper, it must have looked like he was insane. In truth, Light must have enjoyed playing with people. It gave him a perverse pleasure.

"I don't care if we _are_ protected from the Death Note," Galileo said. "If Light Yagami _is_ Kira, and he's truly this demented, best eliminate him now! You never told me he was this delusional."

Galileo pointed his gun at Light, but Jasper pushed it down. "No! He's to stay alive for now. He's different from what I thought Kira would be—and the opposite than what Light was before the Death Note—but Light Yagami isn't a threat to us the way he is now."

Light sat back up, cocked his head in a curious manner. "You said you are protected from the Death Note? How? As long as you envision a person's face in your mind and write down their real name, properly spelled, that person will die in forty-seconds, even if you manipulate a person's actions before death, their end fate is enviable. And once I'm free, your fate will be thus."

"Shut your mouth!" Galileo shouted. He pushed Jasper aside and fired his gun. But the shot was off by a few centimetres, soaring past Light's left ear. Jasper slammed Galileo's arm down, the gun dropped to the floor.

"Don't be frightened, Galileo," Light said calmly. "Tell you what, I'll welcome you in kinship to Kira's brand new world. Swear alliance to Kira and kill Jasper Yuta, and you'll be spared. You'll be rewarded for your loyalty with riches beyond the plains of averse."

Jasper gave Light an uneasy look, then eyed Galileo.

Galileo shook his head slowly as if to say no to Light's offer and Jasper padded him on the shoulder to calm him. He picked up the gun and placed it in his friend's hand. "Watch him, Ichi," he accidentally said. "I mean, Galileo." The situation had unnerved him a little and Jasper had said his friend's real name. "I'm leaving for a moment, but no shooting. I'm going out to the hall for a little bit."

Galileo grabbed Jasper's arm with a look of fear and worry. "You're going to leave me in here alone with _him_?"

He removed his friend's hand from his arm, and said, "Light Yagami isn't a threat. As long as you watch him, keep him at a distance, everything will be okay. But I am seriously thinking about bringing up his execution."

"Don't leave, Jasper, our reunion has just begun," Light said.

Jasper looked at Light still sitting on the floor, deeply concerned. Light Yagami acted as if he sat on a throne of gold and the bones of his victims, their deaths meant nothing to his sinister agenda. Light Yagami acted if he was in complete control of everything.

_What have I done?_ Jasper thought.

Jasper left, closing the door. He was a little apprehensive about leaving his friend inside with a crazed lunatic, but it was a good thing Galileo had a gun. Although, with Light still handcuffed, he doubted Galileo would need it.

x x x

The moment Jasper left the room and shut the door, he went to call for Morph, but the ghost boy seemed to anticipate his summons and appeared without a word spoken, startling Jasper a moment.

"You jumped, why?" Morph asked. "My sudden appearances should be common to you by now."

"The situation is a little unnerving at the moment, something unexpected happened," Jasper said. He tucked the gun he held in the front of his pants. "We did what you said, we gave Light the scrap of the Death Note you gave us, but…"

"You found out about Light Yagami's true nature," Morph said causally.

Jasper nodded. "What happened to him? He's not the same person I thought I knew. Is that who— _what_ —Kira really is?"

"Kira is a killer. The Death Note changes the user in profound ways over time. It enhances a person's most enticing desires. Light Yagami's goal was to follow in his father's footsteps and be a police officer, then he picked up the Death Note. He may have had a noble goal at first, but then things exploded out of control when he began killing innocent people, those who are after him, like the investigator who was trailing him and twelve other FBI agents who were secretly in Japan searching for Kira."

"Yes, I heard about that. Kira was blamed for their deaths. They all died from heart attacks."

"Light Yagami's desire to create a brand new world where people can feel safe turned into something sinister and twisted, and the world began to develop an underlining fear that even the smallest thing you did wrong could get you killed. Even if you thought bad thoughts, Kira would punish you. Kira became a god in the minds of the world—omnipresent and omnipotent. He also became something you may fear in your worse nightmares, a devilish figure that spied on you in the shadows. And yet, there are no rules in how to use the Death Note. But there is a price. And no, the Shinigami doesn't devour a person's soul. A person who uses a Death Note can neither go to Heaven nor Hell."

"Does that mean his soul can never rest? Stuck in a limbo?"

"Whatever your thoughts are on religious interpretations in where a person goes after death are yours. Humanity has several thoughts, different cultures have separate theories based on their histories. Your friend Tristan is Christian, so his ideas on death and incarnation would be based on the Bible. Then there is Islamic, Buddhist, Judaism, Indigenous and Native People, and so on. They all have different views. Regardless, Light Yagami does not fall in with any of them. And I don't believe he could be called Atheist. From what I've observed, he's logical, intelligent, and scientific, and despite getting involved with the Death Note, a spiritual book, he still believes in a higher power. That even though he believes himself to be a deity, there is someone above him."

Jasper nodded.

"The _hell_ Light Yagami will experience will be far worse that any imagined in religious lore," Morph said. "And there is no leniency for those who have used a Death Note, no one will be absolved." He took out his book in its side pouch. "This is why the Life Note was created, to counter-act the atrocities that the Death Note inflicts. At one point, Shinigami slaughtered thousands of humans and creatures alike to renew their life span. Eventually, they became lazy, and now they don't bother to kill unless it's absolutely necessary. My people fought the Shinigami, but the Shinigami King mounted a massive counter-offence that nearly wiped out _The Brigade of Life_. I saved all I could…" He put a hand to chest. "We are a legion of one, and I am the last of my kind to take physical form. That's why it is imperative that I survive,and anchor myself to others to continue to exist, feeding them with soul-food."

Jasper nodded again, but he felt distracted. He looked at the small entertainment suite door where Galileo was holding Light, then turned back. "Light Yagami is Kira, but if he let's go of the scrap of paper from a Death Note, he looses all his memories of it, including the killings, events, and everything else—correct?"

"Yes, but you know this," Morph said suspiciously, tilting his head slightly. "Are you having second thoughts? I think it's a little late for that. I thought you wanted to murder Light Yagami fully conscious of his thoughts with the Death Note? He murdered your father, and before that, he helped put him and you away in mental institutions/a prison, respectfully. Believe me when I say, whether he is conscious of his actions or not, the judgment will be finite and unforgiving. Light Yagami is a condemned human."

Jasper understood. Light Yagami was pure evil and he would be punished. And yet, he wondered, what would be his fate be when it came for him time to die? He had never used a Death Note. He also had never killed anyone. He was indirectly responsible for that patient that committed suicide in the mental institution after he raped him in the shower, but would that count for _him_ to go to Hell?

He looked at Morph. It still seemed strange to him that there was a creature in the universe such as him. But, was Morph a wolf in sheep's clothing? When Jasper signed his name to the Life Note under the impression that it would save him from Kira's judgement, had he been tricked? Writing your own name in a supernatural "Note" was the same as using it.

After another moment of discussion, Morph disappeared, and Jasper returned to the room. When he entered, however, Galileo was not to be seen. In fact, Light Yagami was not in the same place Jasper had last seen him, either.

He found Light Yagami standing near the far end of the wall with his back turned to the door. And there was something else strange. His arms were no longer handcuffed behind his back. His arms were in front.

Jasper grabbed the gun he had tucked in the front of his pants, snapped his arm up, and cocked it. "Where's Ichi/Galileo? What the hell have you done with him?" Jasper looked around. He couldn't see his friend anywhere. It was like he had completely vanished. He couldn't explain it, but he felt a heavy aura in the room, a dark and sinister feeling. "Turn around, Light! Slowly!"

Light did so, and when he had faced front, he was smirking. The left side of his face had a mark with blood dripping down. If Jasper didn't know any better, he'd say a bullet had grazed Light's face. Light's wrists were still handcuffed. Jasper wasn't sure how he did it, but he must have contorted his body in a way to bring them out front.

"What's the matter, Jasper? You look like you've seen a ghost?"

"Shut up! What did you do with Galileo?"

Light stood unfettered by the situation and unafraid that a gun was pointed straight at him.

Light was Kira, but he was also human. There was no way that he just make Galileo just disappear, he didn't have such a power.

However, Morph had not told him everything about the Death Note and its powers. The only thing that was publicized was that Kira could kill without being seen by heart attack. Did the Death Note give its possessor god-like abilities? Had he indeed been tricked into restoring Light Yagami's memories? Was Morph and Kira in some sort of partnership?

Suddenly, Light broke the chain to his handcuffs with a strong yank, and super-human strength, and rushed towards him.

Jasper fired, but Light quickly bolted to the left with the speed of an other-worldly being. He fired again, but Light ducked right and underneath the trajectory, and quickly came around him, slipped his arms around Jasper's head, and squeezed his right arm around Jasper's neck in an arm choke. The hand with the scrap of the Death Note clutched tightly.

Jasper choked. He lifted his gun and fired at Light's head, but the shot missed as Light cocked his head to the side. Light laughed and acted like some sort of demonic creature had possessed his body.

Jasper dropped the gun and tried to pulled Light's arm off him, but to no avail.

"Do you understand now, Jasper?" Light said close to Jasper's ear. He could feel Light's breath on his neck. "I am Kira. I may hide in the shadows, but when my back's to the wall, I'm not a weakling. My father is a former police detective and I've watched him for years hone his skills and tried to emulate him, even trained with him from time to time. I took martial arts classes when I was a kid. I admire my father for his dedication. But like the other task force members, he is a fool. Kira is unstoppable."

"You're insane, Light," Jasper said breathlessly.

"Your father murdered innocent children and you willfully participated, that's like the pot calling the kettle black." Light jerked Jasper to the side, shifting their position towards the couch. Then forcefully walked him forward. Light was slightly taller, but he wasn't any stronger looking than Jasper. And yet, Jasper felt completely powerless against Light's superhuman strength. "Look! Your friend failed to see the reality of the situation and paid the ultimate price."

Jasper's eyes widened when he saw Galileo's body stuffed behind the couch, partially covered with cushions. His eyes were bulged wide open, his throat ripped and tore with what looked like by a chain—the handcuffs.

He couldn't see him before, but now from here, he saw the horror of his friend's demise. He had left his friend alone with a serial killer. He hadn't hear a sound when he was out in the hall talking with Morph, and only for a few minutes.

Light had killed Galileo silently and quickly.

Light chuckled. "The tables have turned, Jasper, and once again, I thank you again for freeing me," he said. "Once I eliminate you, I'll return to the task force, kill your friends, and then kill L, murdering the rest of the team in glorious fashion, as to not give myself away. My plan was risky, I relinquished the Death Note so I wouldn't get caught, but I never thought it would work out so well. I believe it's called synchronicity: when two meaningful coincidences meet with no relation to the other. Karl Jung coined the phrase. I had no way of knowing how my memories would return, but you did the work for me, in bringing me a piece of the Death Note."

Jasper struggled against Light's grip. "You fucking bastard! Let me go!"

"Oh no, not until you tell me where this piece of the Death Note came from? Did Rem give it to you?"

"I don't know who… _that_ is!"

"It doesn't matter now. I'll find this other Kira and kill him. I still remember where I buried my Death Note. So, once I retrieve it, the one true Kira's judgements will ensue again."

Light kept a tight grip. "But allow me to reveal one thing to you, Jasper. What I went through when I was a kid with you and your father had a profound influence on who I am today. In retrospect, I would say, you are the main driving force in me to kill criminals, to make them pay for their crimes. I had amnesia, a repressed memory regarding our original encounter, but something in my mind continued to press me to hate people like you. But my studies kept me busy. When you took me hostage three years later, I briefly remembered the butchery of your father, but then the amnesia returned. Until a dream triggered the events just recently.

"I originally thought the only way for me to help people affected by crime was to follow my father into the NPA, but I soon came to realize that the court systems were too regulated towards the human rights of criminals and victims were left to rot. Now with the Death Note, the police are no longer warranted. Kira will cleanse the world of crime and make it safe again for good and honest people. Sacrifices must be made and Kira needs to do more. It's not enough! Your kind-your species- _will_ be wiped out!

"Now it's about that time. Time for you to die, Jasper Yuta. But I wanted you to know certain things before I killed you, that you are the true reason for Kira's existence. And thanks to the Death Note, people like you will all die of heart attacks, dying horribly like the vermin you are! I know about the existence of Sanctuary City, and once I find it, I'll go through it en masse, learning their names, killing everyone. I'll kill Tristan and Isolde, too. No one will be able to hide from me. A world free of crime is attainable no matter what others think. Kira will reign supreme and I'll be the god of a new world!"

"No…"

Jasper felt like he was fading without oxygen, but he quickly mustered the rest of his strength, and dropped to one knee, forcing Light off balance. Light fell forward with Jasper, and Jasper used the momentum to throw Light off him and to the floor.

He coughed and gasped for breath once he was free.

Light rolled along the floor.

Jasper's vision was a little blurry from the lack of oxygen, but he thought he saw Light look stunned that that had happened.  
Jasper got back to his feet and stepped away from Light, coughing and rubbing his throat.

Light grinned and leapt at him again. Jasper saw the gun he dropped and went for it, getting to it before Light got to him, and fired.

Light cried out as the shot penetrated his right thigh. He clapped a hand to his leg, the pain evident with his cringed look.

Light grit his teeth, but then stood up straight, and smiled, with an expression of insanity. It had given Jasper a moment's reprieve, but not for very long.

And Light came at him again, the injury had unfazed him, and somehow with super-human strength, he overcame the pain.

Jasper fired again, this time striking Light in the upper left arm. Light recoiled, but again, he seemed unfazed, and grinned innately back. It was like trying to take down a wild beast.

But he didn't give Light the opportunity to come at him again and fired off another shot at the same arm.

This time, the shot rang true, and Light's hand opened up, and the scrap of the Death Note fell free.

It was like Light had just been shocked, electrocuted, when he no longer had the Death Note to feed his insatiable frenzy. His eyes fluttered and he dropped to his knees, and collapsed to the floor, and fell face first with a heavy thud.

Jasper stood frozen to the spot, breathing heavy, his gun pointed at Light.

For a few moments, he didn't move.

Light appeared to be unconscious, but he didn't want to make a move just in case Light jumped up and grabbed him. The piece of the Death Note lay on the floor next to Light. Did the Death Note really have this much influence over its user? Or had this really been Light Yagami's true nature? Was the person Jasper knew from the past a closest psychopath?

He nudged Light's body with a foot when he generated the courage, but his old rival appeared to be unconscious. Perhaps losing the power of the Death Note was too much for him? He knew Light's memories would disappear when he released it. The look of shock on Light's face as he dropped the piece seemed to confirm it.

Like sealing the genie back into the bottle.

"I should shoot you dead right here, Light," he said, "but your fate will be worse than anything I could ever inflict upon you. Shooting you would end it too quick and make things too easy. When Death finally comes for you, I hope your pain is eternally merciless. May whatever god you believe in have damnation on your soul!"

Jasper took one last look at his friend Galileo near the couch and then left ran out of the room, gun in hand.

_To be continued..._

 


	11. All Things Come To An End

The moment Jasper Yuta left, Morph appeared inside the small entertainment suite and looked around at the carnage that was displaced. Galileo was dead, killed by Light Yagami's own hands, and Light Yagami, himself, was laying unconscious on the floor with three bullet wounds to his body, none of them fatal. They all managed to avoid major arteries.

He had promised to protect Jasper and his friends from harm, but he said nothing about plain old murder by another human. The Life Note only protected a person from harm brought about by the Death Note. He omitted that basic fact. Like the Death Note, there were rules, and he had no obligation to explain them to those who agreed to the terms of a contract.

He looked down at an unconscious Light Yagami. "When someone uses a Death Note, they are possessed by the essence of a Shinigami," he said, "but they are not controlled by them. Influenced by its power, yes, but not controlled as if possessed by a demonic entity. What you did was of your own free will, Light Yagami, and you freely admitted to this. So, I pity you. This will not be the last incident in your life that will be marked with tragedy and I foresee that our paths will cross again in the future."

He went to Galileo and stood over him. Morph saw his real name elevated above his head, but his lifespan was at zero. If he had never met Light Yagami, however, Morph felt Galileo would have presumingly lived for another fifty years. He was nineteen at the time of his death. He was to die at sixty-nine. Sixty-nine minus nineteen is fifty.

Morph bent down on one knee and put a hand to Galileo's forehead and took these remaining years from him.

Light Yagami had murdered the teen in a vicious struggle, strangling him with his handcuffs. He showed no mercy, no remorse—Morph saw it all. But until a soul passed to the great beyond, the lifespan energy was for the taking. He took it, adding fifty more years to his own life, and its energy will provide a lot of nourishment for his people.

After taking the energy, he put a hand to his stomach, and said, "Eat, my people. Enjoy."

He stood up and turned back to Light Yagami.

Light was not dead, but Morph could take his remaining lifespan if he wished, effectively killing him.

Light Yagami's lifespan was elevated above his head, but there was something strange, and it was split into two branches, as if there was two different possibilities his life could venture. One where he continued along his path using the Death Note and one where he never touched it again. And the latter path had a much lengthier time reference.

However, it didn't matter. He refused to partake in any part of Light Yagami's life essence. It was tainted, spoiled and poisoned. If he took even a sip of his lifespan, his people would cry out in pain. Even when Light Yagami awoke and remembered nothing that transpired in this room, his soul will forever be beyond the reach of hope and redemption. He had murdered too many people.

Retrieving the small metal box he had given Galileo, Morph placed the scrap of the Death Note back in its encasement using the tweezers. He didn't wish to touch it himself or risk being possessed by its influence.

This particular scrap of a Death Note was special, because it belonged to the Shinigami King. During the Great Wars between the Shinigami and The Brigade of Life, the Shinigami King was cornered at one point and a piece of his Death Note was torn off from his Death Note. No one picked it up for fear of being possessed by it, by the Shinigami King himself.

But Morph saw potential in retrieving it and kept it all this time.

Light Yagami acted the way he did against Jasper because he _was_ possessed. No human could handle that much evil and not be influenced to commit unspeakable acts of violence. Murdering Galileo the way he did was a prime example.

And this is why Light Yagami's soul would forever be tainted and will never be the same again, touched by the Shinigami King.

He took out his Life Note and sifted through its pages. Galileo was dead, so he crossed his name off with a pen that accompanied the book. Then he came across Jasper Yuta's name. He thought about it, but then crossed his name out with the stroke of the pen, breaking their contract. He didn't need him anymore. Nor did he wish to keep Tristan or Isolde, crossing their names out, too.

_After what they've all experienced here, they'll be too frightened to do anything of the like for me again. So, let them once again be at the mercy of Kira,_ he thought. _Unlike the Death Note, which needs a Death Eraser to erase a name, my pen can do it with ease._

Besides, he had made other arrangements to anchor himself to the Human World. Much better than this quartet.

He then vanished.

Leaving Jasper Yuta and the rest on their own.

x x x

Jasper ran down the hall once he exited the elevator, gun in hand, coming up from three floors down, and burst through the door to the surveillance room where Tristan and Isolde were still guarding the prisoners. When he stopped, he was out of breath.

Catching his breath, he then said: "Let's go, we're done here," he said quickly.

He checked his gun, the magazine was empty, so he tossed it away. He'd get another one.

"Where's my son?" Siochiro Yagami demanded. "What have you done with him?"

"Did you kill him, Jasper?" Tristan wondered.

Jasper looked at Light's father, at the angry stare and anticipation on his face, and then looked to Tristan. He felt disturbed by the events that transpired in the small entertainment suite and he wanted to get out of the building as soon as possible.

"And's where's Galileo?" Tristan then asked. "You both left here together."

Jasper answered the first question: "Kira got him," he said honestly.

"Fuck!" Tristan said. "That son-of-a-bitch! The little shit lied to us! He said we would be protected from Kira."

"What have you done with my son?" Soichiro Yagami reiterated his demand. He went to get up from the floor, in some confrontational fashion, but Jasper shoved him down with a foot. Soichiro Yagami landed down with a heavy thud.

"Chief! Are you okay?" Matsuda asked.

"Yes…"

"I'd suggest you take care, Detective Yagami," Jasper said. He looked at each one of the task force members in turn. "You should all take very good care of yourselves." He then pointed at Soichiro Yagami. "Your son is still alive, but I shot him three times: twice for my father and once for me. He'll need medical attention."

"I swear it, Jasper Yuta, I won't rest until you're behind bars to pay for your crimes! I'll make it my mission to hunt you down!"

Jasper laughed short, but he didn't feel jubilant. "Brave words, Detective Yagami, and understandable. Light is your son, after all." He shut his eyes for a moment and clenched a fist as if to summon courage. He then opened his eyes and looked straight at Soichiro Yagami. "But take heed, sir. This is a warning. There are greater forces at work in the world and indeed in the universe that make us—Humanity—appear small. And we are mere puppets to their whims."

Soichiro Yagami looked confused.

L said, "What do you mean by that?"

Jasper looked at L, still handcuffed. It was good he had not made any trouble.

They shared a lengthy stare before Jasper said, "Continue with your work, L. Kira must be caught. The world is too fragile for his tyranny. Kira is an abomination to the world. His form of justice is pure evil."

L nodded in agreement. "Time to end this, Jasper," he then said. "While it was under different circumstances, a bargain is a bargain."

Jasper stood confused. Then he remembered what he had said, what he wanted to bargain L with when he was in the lobby. "So cold and calculating," he said. "You never handed Light over to me, I took him. So, Kira's real identity remains with me." Besides, he wanted Light to suffer. Even if Light did regain his memories back again in the future, spending life in jail would serve no purpose. There was another person out there with Kira's power right now. L needed to capture him.

Without the Death Note, Light was no threat.

He took out the key to everyone's handcuffs from his pants pocket and then tossed it haphazardly to the other end of the room, to the lounge area. Jasper knew L would no doubt be watching its flight path and would retrieve it later when they had departed.

Jasper turned back, said to L: "Before we go, allow me to give you one important piece of advice, L. You've done some excellent work in hunting down Kira. But you need to step up your efforts. Kira needs to be caught. Do you know the old saying: Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer?" L nodded. "My recommendation to you is to keep your allies even closer. In fact, chain them up on a short leash if you have to. And never take your eyes off them."

"What are you trying to say, Jasper?"

Jasper sighed. "I may be a criminal, L, but I do have moderate moral compass. What I'm trying to tell you is—"

Suddenly, Jasper gasped, and he clutched his chest. He grit his teeth and crossed his arms across his chest as if he could hold in the anguish and sudden shock. He then dropped to his knees. "Fuck! Damn it!…You son-of-a bitch! You betrayed… _me_!"

Jasper Yuta gasped, and looked to his friends, then felt his eyes roll into the back of his head, as a heart attack ended his life.

x x x

Light Yagami awoke in god-awful pain, he couldn't remember why he was laying on the floor of the small entertainment suite and why he had been shot three times—twice in the left arm and once in the right leg. His clothes covered in blood.

Suddenly, a wavy image of Jasper Yuta pointing a gun at him came to mind, and then quickly vanished as if it was a dream.

He groaned and looked around. Then crawled to the couch and used his strength to haul himself on one knee. Then he saw the body of Galileo—Jasper's tech-savvy friend, his eyes wide and bulging, and his neck bruised and ripped. It appeared he had been murdered. But why would Jasper murder his friend?

Light raised himself to his feet and hobbled to Galileo.

He picked up the tablet Galileo had brought with him and used to lockdown the building. It had been left behind. He could use it to unlock all the building systems. Light thought it odd that it was left behind. If Jasper and the others were going to escape, wouldn't they need it? Unless it was left in haste and forgotten, or further more, no longer needed?

He looked at the tablet and switched on the screen with a finger tap. It asked for a password. He would need to run it through a Decrypter program he had to get into it, but that wouldn't be difficult.

Galileo's gun was also laying next to him. Average citizenry were not supposed to carry or use guns in Japan, but with Jasper and his friends possibly still in the building, he needed protection. He picked it up. His father showed him how to determine whether a weapon was loaded, so he checked the magazine and saw it was full, minus two bullets.

He untied Galileo's tie that was underneath his shirt vest, he was impeccably dressed—he obviously liked to feel important—and used it as a tourniquet for around his right thigh to stop the bleeding. Extraction of the bullet would have to wait. In fact, he was told a person should not remove a bullet or risk the case of more bleeding as the bullet acted like a stopper.

His left arm looked worse than it was. One bullet was stuck in his bicep while another was jammed just on the cusp of his shoulder. He was lucky neither one hit an artery. He didn't want to touch them for fear that he may end up bleeding unnecessarily which could cause him to faint due to excess blood loss. For the most part, they had stopped bleeding. So, he left them alone.

If he was going to be a cop, then he would have to get used to getting shot at, and even shot. This was an introduction to his father's world. But he still had no reservations in being a cop. In fact, this only reinforced his want to follow in his father's footsteps. To catch the bad guys and to save innocent lives. For some reason, the incident with Jasper Yuta was incentive enough.

He made his way to the door with the tablet and gun in hand. His left arm dangled at his side immobile and his right thigh hurt badly, but it was still useful to walk on. He felt like one of those RPG game characters he enjoyed playing every once in a while. He enjoyed the games where he was the main hero who had to save the world from the undead.

Venturing out in the hallway, he first looked both ways, saw it was empty, and then made his way to the elevator down the hall, and then three floors up to the floor where the main surveillance room was located. The moment the elevator dinged, he hide behind the wall, then peaked out, gun in hand, but saw no one was in sight.

He left, and made his way down the hall to a set of double doors. This is where things began and the first encounter with Jasper through CCTV. Separated from the others, L, his father, and the rest of the task force, would still be held hostage here. So, he cautiously opened one of the doors and looked in.

He opened the door fully when he saw three dead bodies on the floor, one of whom was Jasper Yuta. The others were Tristan and Isolde. All three were seen clutching their chests. Had Kira killed them with heart attacks? No doubt, the media had gotten all their profiles by now and were broadcasting them over the airwaves. Either it was a dirty cop who sold the information to a Kira affiliate, maybe _Kira's Kingdom_ , or Kira, himself, did some research, and found out their real names, and murdered them.

So, it was finally over.

He literally began dragging his right leg as he made his way into the surveillance room, where he found L in the lounge area, and the rest standing, everyone still handcuffed.

"Light!" his father called out.

"Dad! Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, Jasper said he shot you. Are you okay?"

"I'll survive."

"Light, over here!" L said. "Jasper threw the key to our handcuffs somewhere here. I believe it landed in the couch, but I can't get it."

Light went over and searched for the key, found it between two cushions, and then unlocked L's handcuffs. L thanked Light, told him what had happened with Jasper and the others—all of them suddenly died from heart attacks—then went about freeing everyone else, locking their handcuffs.

Light sat down, exhaustion from his injuries and events finally taking over.

His father rushed over. "We should contact medical services immediately," he said.

"I agree," L said, "but not from here. We don't want anyone else knowing this is the Kira de defacto headquarters. Or we'll have a repeat incident." L quickly told Light about the explosive charges Jasper and company launched at the building from the exterior and that they destroyed a good portion of the Residential Floor, amongst other places and floors. "We're going to have to assess the damage and block those floors off until things are repaired, new living quarters will be assigned." Everyone agreed.

Watari came over with a first aid kit and began tending to Light's wounds. He couldn't do much about the bullets, but he could help with the cut on his cheek and cleaning up other areas. Light unbuttoned and gently removed his shirt, he wore a white undershirt underneath, so eying his wounds would be easier for Watari. Watari then placed Light's left arm it in a sling to take the pressure off.

Light thanked him.

Light handed over the tablet to his father and said it belong to Galileo. "I don't know the password, we're going to have to run it through a Decrypter program to get access," he said. "Afterwards, we're going to have to go through the security protocols of the building and enhance the firewalls. We should also speak with the city and get the specs to this building out of public domain."

L quietly removed the gun that was laying on the couch next to Light. Light saw him, but said nothing.

"Ah, Ryuzaki," Matsuda spoke up. "Haven't you forgotten something?" He pointed at Light's handcuffs. Even though Light's hands were free, he was still cuffed. L hadn't removed Light's cuffs.

L looked at them, noticing a curious sight. He lifted Light's right hand, gazing at the cuff. "Odd, how is the chain broken like this? When Jasper's party first handcuffed us, I tried to brake free of them, but they were incredibly strong. There is a trick to getting out of handcuffs, but these are not your standard type. It would take a person with super-human abilities to brake out of them in this fashion. The chain appears to have been just pulled apart, as if with a massive yank."

"I'm not sure," Light said honestly. Then cringed because of his left shoulder. "Maybe they were shot through during the scuffle with Jasper? He had a gun. The gun I brought back as protection belonged to Galileo. But I don't remember much of anything. I must have hit my head at some point?" Light saw the glance between L and Watari, but brushed it off. "Jasper separated me from the rest of you for a reason. He shot me three times. I thought I was going to die. I'm still curious why I'm still alive. Galileo's body is in the small entertainment suite. Looks like Jasper killed him. Possibly with a something hard? His neck is all bruised and ripped up."

"Like from a chain? There's blood on these chains attached to your handcuffs. Jasper told us that Kira got him."

"Probably mine, I am bleeding a lot. My clothes are saturated. Jasper said Kira killed Galileo?"

"Ryuzaki, please stop interrogating my son," Soichiro Yagami said. "He's just gone through a lot. Give him some space."

"Very well, but we'll discuss more of this later." And L backed away.

_To be continued..._

 


	12. The Eyes Of Kira

After everything unfolded and things had settled down—the media quietly played down the deaths of Jasper Yuta and his cohorts as attributed to Kira relayed by the NPA through L's directive—rebuilding commenced in certain areas of the Task Force HQ building.

Reconstruction of events during their hostage taking played out, but all that that transpired in the small entertainment suite were either dead, or in Light's case, had amnesia. What really happened in that room would remain a mystery.

It had been a week since things ended and in that time Light had had surgery on his arm and leg to remove the bullets through a private doctor L knew. Now the task force was once again discussing the Kira Case with new vigour. Misa was out on another movie shoot as everyone was gathered in the surveillance room lounge area. Misa wanted to stay, but L told her Light would be fine.

Light, however, was back to being handcuffed with a lengthy chain to L.

Even after everything that had transpired, Jasper Yuta's last words still haunted L. What really happened between Jasper and Light in the small entertainment suite? Even Galileo's—Ichi Levin was his real name—death was still unexplained.

Galileo's gun was examined, and it was determined that the two bullets found in separate walls in the room came from his gun. And the blood on Light's handcuffs did indeed belong to Light. If Galileo's blood were on them, it had been smothered by Light's—the examination results undetermined.

It was learned that Tristan and Isolde—both their real full names were discovered in police records with pictures, and no doubt how Kira got access to them—had a young son, who was being babysat by a friend at the time of the incident that lead to their deaths. He was later placed in foster care, which upset L. Yet another orphan made by the parents mistakes.

L was orphaned at a young age, but he was lucky he had Watari to help him get through the really tough times.

Despite the tragic outcome, and as far as the Kira Case was concerned, at least only the Kira Task Force knew L's real identity now. With the death of Jasper Yuta and his friends, who had discovered what he really looked like, he was, for the most part, safe.

Regarding safety, however, after his return from the hospital, Light kept pressing for L to allow the Task Force members to carry weapons to protect themselves if anything like the Jasper Yuta affair happened again.

L said no.

"Then non-lethal tasers?" Light said, during the roundtable. They were supposed to be during Kira, but Light kept getting off topic. L figured he was still in shock about what happened and wished to carry a weapon to make him feel safer. "Anything!"

"No," L repeated.

"I feel completely defenceless!" Light said in a huff. His arm was in a sling after his surgery and he had a leg wrapping around his right thigh under his pants, but other than those two places, apart from the quickly fading scar on his cheek, he was none the worse.

"That's how we all feel against Kira, Light," L retorted. "I was wrong last week when I said Light would be safe with three former police officers with him. And I was a little shocked and perturbed that despite this building being one of the most sophisticated ever built, and with some of the most up-to-date tech in the world, an AOS—Autonomous Operations System—that controls this building, was so easily hacked by a teenager with a simple computer tablet." L sounded miffed. "Protocols are being implemented to prevent that from ever happening again with multiple firewalls and dualistic systems working simultaneously, and on independent servers, as per Light's suggestion. One will kick in if the other AOS ever has a similar issue. Watari is taking care of the details."

Light was about to say something, but L got the jump first. "However, as Light feels a little vulnerable. I will offer a concession." Light thanked him. Watari stepped forward with a small metal case, then opened it. "It's called a billy club. It's non-lethal, light, and it can be carried almost anywhere, derivative of London, England, mid-1800s. I've even instructed Watari to attach a clip for your belt."

Soichiro Yagami put a hand to his face as if to hide a laugh as Light picked up the small, black club, about eight inches in length, and made of cheap children's plastic. Light tapped it on the table they all sat around, on couches, and it made a hollow sound.

Mogi turned to snicker, Matsuda just burst out laughing.

"Not funny, L," Light said serious. "This isn't funny in the slightest. I'm completely insulted!" He slammed it to the table angrily.

"Relax, son," his father said calmingly. "L is just joking."

"Well, I'm not amused!"

"Perhaps you should take up martial arts again. I remember you once mentioned you took classes when you were a kid just after the first incident with Jasper Yuta and his father when you ten years old. Or, I can begin a Tai Chi starters class in the morning? It does wonders for the mind, body and soul. It may also stymie some of that pent-up anger you seem to have."

"L is right, Light," Matsuda said. "You need to learn to relax more."

Light lifted his right arm showcasing the hand-cuff and lengthy chain, the other end was attached to L. "How can I relax when I'm still under the suspicion of being a mass serial killer?" he said. "I am not Kira!"

"So you say," L said. "So, once again, we are back to where we began. The Jasper Yuta Case is closed. Time to get back to the Kira Case. Does anyone have anything to report?"

Light slammed an open palm to the table in frustration. It was in protest, as if to say: _Don't ignore my concerns!_

L looked at Light as Light stared back at him with an angry glare.

And for a split moment, L could almost see it: the glint in Light Yagami's eyes…

_And the eyes of Kira!_

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story. There are so many stories to tell inbetween the events told in Death Note. This was just one I wanted to tell.


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